Tokara, Helshoogte, Stellenbosch

THERE ARE over 150 farms in Stellenbosch where you are welcome to taste and buy some wine from a cellar on the premises. Of these, around 70 also offer food, either by way of a restaurant or platters of this and that, some of which entail ordering in advance. So which are the best farms to visit in this beautiful district at the heart of South Africa’s Cape winelands – where the wine is remarkable and reliable, and where you can enjoy a good lunch of one sort or another? The Top 20 say?

The following Top SA Wine Producers in Stellenbosch are all included among the Top 100 in the 2023 SA Cellar Classification on the basis of their wines’ good track records:

Alto Wine Estate – Helderberg
Classified Wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz
Food: Restaurant

Beyerskloof – Koelenhof Road
Classified Wines: Diesel Pinotage, Faith (Red Blend)
Food: Red Leaf Bistro

Delaire Graff Estate – Banghoek, Helshoogte
Classified Wines: Botmaskop (Red Blend), Cape Vintage (Port), Coastal Cuvée Sauvignon Blanc, Banghoek Reserve Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Terraced Block Reserve Chardonnay, Laurence Graff Reserve (Cabernet Sauvignon), Swartland Reserve Chenin Blanc, White Reserve (Blend)
Food: Indochine Restaurant, Delaire Graff Restaurant

Delheim – Simonsberg
Classified Wines: Edelspatz Botrytis Riesling, Vera Cruz Estate Pinotage
Food: Garden Restaurant

Eikendal Vineyards – Helderberg
Classified Wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Charisma (Red Blend), Classique (Red Blend)
Food: Cucina Di Giovanni Restaurant

Glenelly – Ida’s Valley
Classified Wines: Estate Reserve (Red Blend), Estate Reserve Chardonnay, Lady May (Red Blend)
Food: Vine Bistro

Hartenberg Family Vineyards – Bottelary
Classified Wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Eleanor (Chardonnay), Gravel Hill (Shiraz), Mackenzie (Red Blend), Shiraz, Stork (Shiraz)
Food: Tables in Courtyard Garden and Tasting Room

Jordan Wine Estate – Stellenbosch Kloof
Classified Wines: Barrel Fermented Chardonnay, Black Magic Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cobblers Hill (Red Blend), Cold Fact Sauvignon Blanc, CWG Chardonnay, Inspector Péringuey Chenin Blanc, Long Fuse Cabernet Sauvignon, Nine Yards Chardonnay, Outlier Sauvignon Blanc, Prospector Syrah, Real McCoy Riesling, Sophia (Red Blend)
Food: The Cellar Door, The Jordan Restaurant with Marthinus Ferreira

Ken Forrester Vineyards – Helderberg
Classified Wines: FMC (Chenin), Gypsy (Red Blend), Old Vine Reserve Chenin Blanc
Food: Platters, 96 Winery Road Restaurant

Kleine Zalze – Strand Road (R44)
Classified Wines: Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz; Vineyard Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz; Vintage Brut (Cap Classique Sparkling)
Food: Restaurant

Neil Ellis Wines – Helshoogte
Classified Wines: Amica Sauvignon Blanc, Bottelary Hills Pinotage, Groenekloof Shiraz, Jonkershoek Cabernet Sauvignon, Whitehall Chardonnay
Food: Platters, Seasonal Food Fare

Rust en Vrede Wine Estate – Helderberg
Classified Wines: 1694 Classification (Red Blend), Estate (Red Blend), Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Single Vineyard Syrah
Food: Winemaker’s Lunch, Restaurant Dinner

Simonsig Wine Estate – Greater Simonsberg
Classified Wines: Chenin Avec Chêne, Chenin Blanc, Cuvée Royale Blanc de Blancs (Cap Classique Sparkling), Frans Malan Cape Blend (Red), Kaapse Vonkel Brut (Cap Classique Sparkling), Merindol Syrah, Redhill Pinotage, Tiara (Red Blend)
Food: Platters

Spier Wine Farm – Vlottenburg
Classified Wines: 21 Gables Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc, Pinotage and Sauvignon Blanc; Creative Block 2 (White Blend), 3 (Red Blend), 5 (Red Blend) and 8 (Red Blend); Frans K Smit CWG Selection (Red Blend), Red (Blend) and White (Blend)
Food: Farm Café, Hotel Restaurant, Vadas Smokehouse & Bakery, Manor House

Stark-Condé Wines – Jonkershoek
Classified Wines: Field Blend (White), Oude Nektar Cabernet Sauvignon, Round Mountain Sauvignon Blanc, Three Pines Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, Lingen (Red Blend)
Food: Postcard Café

Stellenbosch Vineyards – Lynedoch
Classified Wines: Credo Chenin Blanc, Shiraz and Shiraz Merlot Viognier; Flagship Petit Verdot; Limited Release Grenache and Verdelho
Food: Café Eatery

Stellenrust – Helderberg
Classified Wines: Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Old Bush Vine Chenin Blanc, Wild Yeast Barrel Fermented Chardonnay, JJ Handmade Eight Pillars (Red Blend), Mothership Chenin Blanc
Food: Platters

Tokara – Simonsberg, Helshoogte
Classified Wines: Director’s Reserve Red (Blend) and White (Blend); Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Elgin Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc Noble Late Harvest, Stellenbosch Chardonnay and Syrah
Food: Restaurant, Delicatessen

Uva Mira Mountain Vineyards – Helderberg
Classified Wines: Chardonnay; DW Syrah; O.T.V. (Red Blend); Sing-a-Wing Sauvignon Blanc; Single Tree Chardonnay; The Dance Cabernet Franc; The Mira Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Shiraz
Food: Platters

Warwick Wine Estate – Simonsberg
Classified Wines: Blue Lady (Cabernet Sauvignon), Cabernet Franc, Professor Black (White Blend), Trilogy (Red Blend), White Lady Chardonnay
Food: Harvest Table (Courtyard), Picnic Pods & Benches

Of course, there are also other delightful wine and food destinations in Stellenbosch, on the farms, in amongst the vines. The places listed above have the best reputations, “but”, you might say, “what about the tables at De Meye, Ernie Els, Lanzerac, Muratie and…?” Also good, also offering good wines and food. Spoilt for choice!

For all of the whites and reds, bubbles and sweets in the SA Wine Classification that are available on the various wine routes of Stellenbosch, click here.