South Africa: Cape Winelands Map

Sprawling vineyards lined with vines bulging with succulent grapes, set against a postcard backdrop of blue mountains, and you tasting some of the Cape's finest wines. Spending a day trawling the Cape's various wine routes is both fun and educational.

The Cape Winelands is a scenically enchanting region of dramatic mountains and fertile valleys, planted with vines stretching across rolling fields.. Here farmers enjoy perfect conditions and produce of the best wines in the world. The soil is so rich, they use about a tenth the amount of fertiliser that European farmers do. It is a wonderful combination of small historic towns, beautiful scenery and wine estates producing delicious wines and brandies. There are literally hundreds of wine estates, all offering the chance to sample their unique blends in a picture-perfect setting.

It's best to pick a region and cover as many farms as you can, or feel like doing, in one day. Paarl, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, all offer beautiful estates and good wines.

Closer to Cape Town is the oldest wine farm in the country, the Groot Constantia estate with its cellars, many restaurants and beautiful views.

A tour of the Cape's winelands is best done with your own car at your leisure and a designated driver is a must - after all, there's only so much good wine you can spit down the drain.