THERE ARE still some cellars on the Cape wine routes of South Africa where they don't charge you for a sip of their wines, a tasting of what they produce, but such places are very few and far between. Boekenhoutskloof is one: free wine tastings and tours at one of the top cellars in Franschhoek, conducted by one of the senior winemakers no less, although only at 11am on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Windmeul Cellar in Paarl is another: tastings of good-value wines on the house, no strings attached, seven days a week. Yet another is Nuy outside Worcester, if you don't mind standing at the counter. And yes, there are some wine producers where the tasting fee is waived if you buy their wines after trying them out, but again, these are becoming exceptions to the norm. There are now tasting fees at virtually every winery's tasting room, most of them aren't refundable and, generally speaking, they've been going up – especially if you ask for the best of the best.
Notwithstanding the fact that there are producers whose tasting fees are so low that you might well wonder why they bother charging, there are many more who set their fees relative to how much they're selling their wines for and according to the standard of their service. There are also some whose fees all but guarantee that their tasting rooms will never suffer from overcrowding.
An example of one of the most exclusive wine-tasting venues in South Africa is Oldenburg Vineyards in the Banghoek Valley, Stellenbosch. Here is one of the most professionally-run tasting rooms with one of the most stunning views that encompass a mountain amphitheatre encircling their vineyards. The wines are good, ranging in price from R250 to R480pb and upwards. The staff are knowledgeable and include qualified sommeliers. The glassware is impressive and all of the tasting line-ups are accompanied by a board of cheese, crackers and olives. The tasting fee: R400 to R700pp, depending on whether you choose to experience six wines that range in price from R480 to R650pb, or four of the flagships, typically offered on allocation only, with the Rhodium red blend in the Rondekop Series going for R1150pb.
At the time of writing, the following were the fees being charged at the tasting rooms of various SA wine cellars, i.e. for a tasting of anything between three and ten wines, though a few charge per wine rather than per flight, and excluding food-and-wine pairings. Invariably, there are particularly rare, limited-release or luxury wines that are not included among the usual tasting experiences on offer, and there are a number of wine producers who either don't offer tastings or are closed to the public, period. Best to book in advance to avoid disappointment – click here for the contact details of the top Cape wine producers.
Abingdon, KZN Midlands
R150pp
Allée Bleue, Franschhoek
R160 to R400pp
Almenkerk, Elgin
R50 to R75pp
Alto, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
R150pp
Anthonij Rupert, Franschhoek
R70 to R705pp
Anura, Simonsberg-Paarl
R50 to R90pp
Asara, Stellenbosch
R100 to R295pp
Atlas Swift, Franschhoek
R160 to R190pp
Babylonstoren, Simonsberg-Paarl
R60 to R160pp (excl R150pp entrance/membership fee)
Badsberg, Rawsonville-Breedekloof
R50 to R85pp
Bartho Eksteen, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
R150pp
Bartinney, Banghoek-Stellenbosch
R125pp
Beau Constantia
R130 to R150pp
Beaumont, Bot River
R120pp
Bellingham, Franschhoek Cellar
R30 to R150pp
Benguela Cove, Bot River
R185pp
Bergsig, Brëerivier-Breedekloof
R60 to R90pp
Beyerskloof, Stellenbosch
R50 to R120pp
Boekenhoutskloof, Franschhoek
R0 (no charge)
Bon Courage, Robertson
R40pp
Boplaas, Calitzdorp
R100pp
Boschendal, Franschhoek
R100 to R350pp
Boschkloof, Polkadraai-Stellenbosch
R50pp
Bosman, Wellington
R100 to R200pp
Bouchard Finlayson, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
R150 to R350pp
Brookdale, Klein Drakenstein-Paarl
R50 to R80pp
Bruce Jack, Hyde Hotel in Sea Point
R130 to R325pp
Buitenverwachting, Constantia
R100pp
Cape Point Vineyards, Noordhoek
R60 to R100pp
Cavalli, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
R100 to R175pp
Cederberg Wines
R120pp
Chamonix, Franschhoek
R60 to R120pp
Charles Fox, Elgin
R50 to R150pp
Colmant, Franschhoek
R120 to R200pp
Constantia Glen
R165 to R210pp
Constantia Uitsig
R120 to R175pp
Creation, Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge
R20 to R120 per wine pp
De Grendel, Panorama-Durbanville
R130 to R260pp
De Krans, Calitzdorp
R70pp
De Toren, Polkadraai-Stellenbosch
R195 to R950ppb
De Trafford, Upper Blaauwklippen Valley-Stellenbosch
R350 to R550pp
De Wet Cellar, Worcester
R50 to R60pp
De Wetshof, Robertson
R125 to R300pp
Delaire Graff, Helshoogte/Banghoek-Stellenbosch
R120 to R440pp
Delheim, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
R85 to R150pp
DeMorgenzon, Stellenbosch Kloof
R15 to R35 per wine pp
Diemersdal, Durbanville
R50 to R100pp
Diemersfontein, Wellington
R40 to R80pp
Doolhof, Wellington
R100pp
Dorrance, Cape Town
R90 to R150pp
DTK Wines, Rawsonville-Breedekloof
R50pp
Durbanville Hills
R110 to R160pp
Eikendal, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
R60 to R85pp
Elgin Vintners
R65 to R180pp
Ernie Els, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
R185 to R400pp
Fairview, Suid-Agter Paarl
R65 to R150pp
Gabriëlskloof, Bot River
R80 to R280pp
Glen Carlou, Simonsberg-Paarl
R80 to R160pp
Glenelly, Stellenbosch
R100 to R200pp
GlenWood, Franschhoek
R110 to R220pp
Graham Beck, Robertson
R90 to R200pp
Groenland, Bottelary-Stellenbosch
R50 to R100pp
Groot Constantia
R155pp
Groot Phesantekraal, Durbanville
R110 to R150pp
Groote Post, Darling
R50pp
Hamilton Russell, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
R100pp
Hartenberg, Bottelary-Stellenbosch
R75 to R395pp
Haute Cabrière, Franschhoek
R95 to R110pp
Hidden Valley, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
R125pp
High Road, Bosman's Crossing-Stellenbosch
R150pp
Holden Manz, Franschhoek
R110 to R295pp
Idiom, Sir Lowry's Pass-Somerset West
R100 to R175pp
Iona, Elgin
R150pp
JC Le Roux, Devon Valley-Stellenbosch
R100 to R150pp
Jordan, Stellenbosch Kloof
R138 to R470pp
Journey's End, Sir Lowry's Pass-Somerset West
R125 to R295pp
Kaapzicht, Bottelary-Stellenbosch
R90 to R300pp
Kanonkop, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
R100 to R600p
Keermont, Upper Blaauwklippen Valley-Stellenbosch
R150 to R250pp
Ken Forrester, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
R90 to R300pp
Klein Constantia
R250 to R1000pp
Kleine Zalze, Stellenbosch
R45 to R160pp
Kleinood, Upper Blaauwklippen Valley-Stellenbosch
R100pp
Kloovenburg, Riebeek Kasteel-Swartland
R15 to R50 per wine pp
Koelenhof Winery, Stellenbosch
R50pp
Krone, Tulbabh
R100 to R120pp
KWV, Paarl
R70 to R350pp
L'Avenir, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
R130 to R160pp
La Bri, Franschhoek
R110 to R260pp
La Motte, Franschhoek
R80 to R300pp
La Vierge, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
R25 to R50 per wine pp
Landskroon, Suid Agter-Paarl
R65pp
Lanzerac, Jonkershoek-Stellenbosch
R105 to R245pp
Leopard's Leap, Franschhoek
R60 to R120pp
Lievland, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
R110pp
Lismore, Greyton
R175 to R225pp
Lomond, Gansbaai-Cape Agulhas
R120pp
Longridge, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
R100 to R260pp
Lothian, Elgin
R200pp
Lourensford, Somerset West
R100pp
Luddite, Bot River
R100pp
Lyngrove, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
R150pp
Meerlust, Faure-Stellenbosch
R75 to R250pp
Merwida, Rawsonville
R45 to R85pp
Morgenster, Somerset West
R75 to R110pp
Mulderbosch, Polkadraai-Stellenbosch
R100pp
Mullineux, Riebeek Kasteel-Swartland
R85 to R550pp
Mullineux & Leeu, Franschhoek
R85 to R550pp
Muratie, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
R100 to R360pp
Nederburg, Klein Drakenstein-Paarl
R95pp
Neethlingshof, Stellenbosch
R65 to R120pp
Neil Ellis, Helshoogte-Stellenbosch
R60 to R150pp
Newton Johnson, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde
R130 to R200pp
Nitida, Dubanville
R80 to R100pp
Nuy, Worcester
R0 (free) if standing; R30 to R50pp seated
Oak Valley, Elgin
R100 to R200pp
Oldenburg, Banghoek-Stellenbosch
R400 to R700pp
Orange River Cellars, Uppington
R70 to R80pp
Paul Cluver, Elgin
R150 to R200pp
Perdeberg, Windmeul-Paarl
R60 to R80pp
Peter Falke, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
R100 to R220pp
Plaisir, Simondium-Paarl
R100 to R150pp
Quoin Rock, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
R300pp
Raats, Polkadraai-Stellenbosch
R200pp
Raka, Stanford
R60pp
Rainbow's End, Banghoek-Stellenbosch
R150pp
Remhoogte, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
R100 to R160pp
Rhebokskloof, Noord Agter-Paarl
R75 to R100pp
Rickety Bridge, Franschhoek
R115 to R175pp
Ridgeback, Windmeul-Paarl
R75 to R120pp
Riebeek Wine Co, Riebeek Kasteel-Swartland
R40 to R60pp
Rietvallei, Robertson
R40 to R50pp
Rijk's, Tulbagh
R100pp
Robertson Winery
R40 to R140pp
Rooiberg, Robertson
R50pp
Rupert & Rothschild, Simonsberg-Paarl
R105pp
Rust en Vrede, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
R120pp
Rustenberg, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
R50 to R120pp
Saronsberg, Tulbagh
R120pp
Saxenburg, Kuils River-Stellenbosch
R75 to R95pp
Sijnn, Malgas
R250pp
Simonsig, Koelenhof-Stellenbosch
R110 to R140pp
Spice Route, Suid Agter-Paarl
R75pp
Spier, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch
R85 to R140pp
Springfield, Robertson
R100pp
Springfontein, Stanford
R45 to R250pp (or R20 to R40 per wine pp)
Stark-Condé, Jonkershoek-Stellenbosch
R130 to R210pb
Steenberg, Tokai-Constantia
R160 to R250pp
Stellenbosch Hills, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch
R50pp
Stellenbosch Reserve, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
R15 to R20 per wine pp
Stellenbosch Vineyards, Lynedoch-Stellenbosch
R60 to R150pp
Stellenrust, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
R70 to R200pp
Stellenzicht, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
R80 to R120pp
Strandveld, Elim-Cape Agulhas
R120pp
Super Single Vineyards, Stellenbosch Kloof
R100pp
Thelema, Helshoogte/Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
R150 to R300pp
Thistle & Weed, Jonkershoek-Stellenbosch
R180pp
Tokara, Helshoogte/Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
R100 to R190pp
Uva Mira, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
R300 to R850pp
Van Loveren, Robertson
R100 to R140pp
Vergelegen, Somerset West
R85 to R200pp
Vergenoegd Löw, Stellenbosch
R90 to R120pp
Viljoensdrift, Robertson
R50pp
Villiera, Koelenhof-Stellenbosch
R90 to R110pp
Vondeling at Vrymansfontein, Suid Agter-Paarl
R95 to R175pp
Vrede en Lust, Simondium-Paarl
R100 to R150pp
Warwick, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
R100 to R400pp
Waterford, Upper Blaauwklippen Valley-Stellenbosch
R175 to R435pp
Waterkloof, Sir Lowry's Pass-Somerset West
R60 to R160pp
Waverley Hills, between Wolseley & Ceres
R100pp
Wellington Wines
R40 to R80pp
Weltevrede, Bonnievale
R250pp
Whalehaven, Hemel-en-Aarde Village
R100 to R200pp
Wildeberg, Franschhoek
R10 to R55 per wine pp
Wildekrans, Bot River
R80 to R120pp
Windmeul, Paarl
R0 (no charge)
Zevenwacht, Kuils-River-Stellenbosch
R70 to R200pp
Zorgvliet, Banghoek-Stellenbosch
R70 to R90pp
