HARD TO BELIEVE that 20 years ago this wine route was still struggling to get off the ground, so to speak. Whereas today, not only is Elgin home to some of the country’s top cellars but numerous wineries in Stellenbosch and elsewhere use grapes from the area and proudly proclaim as much on their labels.

Many of the wine-tasting venues in Elgin offer platters or snacks of some sort, but if its a restaurant you’re craving while visiting the farms, head for Oak Valley’s Melting Pot (pictured) or The Restaurant at Paul Cluver east of Grabouw. See below for the top cellars in the area and what they’re best at, and for the names of exactly which wines from the area have the best track records, see the Classification. The producers with best track records overall: Elgin Vintners, Highlands Road, Kershaw, Lothian, Oak Valley, Paul Cluver and Shannon. For all of the Top 100 in the SA Cellar Classification, click here.

ELGIN‘S TOP CELLARS

Almenkerk
Strongest Suits: Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Shiraz-led Blend

Elgin Vintners
Strongest Suits: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc

Highlands Road
Strongest Suits: Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Blend

Iona
Strongest Suits: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

Kershaw
Strongest Suits: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Shiraz

Lothian
Strongest Suits: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

Oak Valley
Strongest Suites: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

Paul Cluver
Strongest Suits: Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Noble Late Harvest, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc

Paul Wallace
Strongest Suit: Pinot Noir

Shannon
Vinification at Newton Johnson
Strongest Suits: Merlot, Pinot Noir, Semillon