Cape Town’s wine route: the best of Constantia wineries
The oldest wine-producing region in the Southern Hemisphere, dating back to the 1600s, is only a 20 minute drive from Cape Town’s city centre.
The Constantia wine route reflects the vibe in the leafy southern suburbs of Cape Town perfectly – it is relaxed but upmarket, the food is excellent, farm-to-table style, but without being stuffy. There are vineyard hikes, bike tracks, and endless restaurants, and the estates feature a mix of historical Cape Dutch architecture and more modern, glass-encased tasting rooms. Constantia is known for its cool-climate wines, particularly sauvignon blanc (don’t be alarmed when you see South Africans adding a block of ice to it) and the legendary dessert wine, Vin de Constance.
It used to be possible to group the best nine wine farms in Constantia neatly into three groups of three, based on their locations. Three wine farms is the perfect number for a wine tasting day, particularly because the third one is usually the optimal place to have lunch, after which most people want a nap. At best, nobody remembers anything they tasted at the fourth farm, and at worst, things can get quite messy after lunch (unless, of course, your party is classy enough to make use of the spittoons – of course they are). However, tragically, Eagle’s Nest is no longer open to the public for tastings (RIP), which reduces this list to eight. Do four a day at your peril, or pick your favourites from the list below. Some of them require pre-booking, even for tastings, and a lot of them are not open on Mondays – check online and plan your wine tasting day accordingly.
For true oenophiles, and in the interest of making this the most comprehensive guide to the Constania wine route, there is a list at the end of lesser-known estates (many of which are only open a few days a week, and usually not on weekends), and estates which are only open by appointment.
The old guard
Starting with the oldest, Groot Constantia, Klein Constantia and Buitenverwachting all split off from the Constantia Estate, which was founded in the 1600s, and have been part of producing wine in Cape Town for over 300 years.
Groot Constantia
The grand old dame of the Constantia wine valley, Groot Constantia (“Big Constantia”) is South Africa’s oldest wine-producing farm, dating back to 1685, and with an impressive history. Every February, South Africa’s wine
As one of Cape Town’s Big 6 attractions, Groot Constantia gets nearly half a million visitors per year. There is a lot to do here, and it would be easy to spend an entire day at Groot Constantia. Apart from the wine, there are walking tours, which include audio guides, a gift shop, and a wine museum, which includes information about historical slavery at Groot Constantia. They even make brandy, a grape-based spirit, similar to cognac.
There are also two casual restaurants, both beloved by locals. Simon’s (located outside of the gates of the estate), serves burgers and fish and chips, as well as pasta and sushi. It is also dog-friendly, with a dedicated dog menu, and has live music in the courtyard on the weekends. Jonkershuis, which is on the estate, has a similar menu, but with the addition of some traditional Cape Malay options. Both of them also have delicious eggy breakfasts, and cater picnics which you can have on the estate.
If you haven’t had breakfast, Groot Constantia is a good option as the first stop on your wine tasting tour, because Jonkershuis is a very popular Constantia breakfast spot (proceed to your wine tasting after breakfast, not before). Wine-wise, the white and red Bordeaux blends (from the Gouverneurs reserve range) are very moreish.
Klein Constantia
Smaller than Groot Constantia from which it was subdivided in the 1800s, Klein Constantia (“Small Constantia”) has a bistro, but is less of a foodie destination than its larger neighbour. But don’t let that put you off – it is a perfect stop for serious wine lovers. Its Vin de Constance, probably South Africa’s most famous wine, was mentioned in none other than Sense and Sensibility as a cure for a broken heart, and was a favourite of the likes of Marie Antoinette and Winston Churchill. Napoleon Bonaparte was apparently exiled with cases of it. It is still being made today (you can even buy a bottle which they will personalise for you), and it is well known as one of the world’s best dessert wines.
In case you are not a fan of dessert wine, the rest of the wine is also well worth tasting – the sauvignon blanc goes down excellently on a hot Cape Town afternoon. If you’re interested in Methode Cap Classique (“MCC”), South Africa’s own sparkling wine, made using the traditional champagne method, this bone-dry version is worth a try.
Buitenverwachting
Buitenverwachting (“Beyond Expectation”) has a lot going on these days. There is a cafe serving breakfast and lunch, a coffee roastery, a gift shop, and Beyond, a fine dining restaurant with a rustic vibe suited to the farm.
The tasting room is casual, with a stunning marble countertop and lots of natural light. Along with your wine tasting, you can order cheese and charcuterie platters, which can be taken out onto the lawns. The lawns are weather-dependent and are open in the summer only (and there are food trucks on weekends). Whiling away a sunny afternoon here, under the trees, is a very popular weekend activity.
This would be an excellent lunch spot on your Constantia wine tasting tour, and you may not want to leave until closing time. In terms of the wine, the Buiten Blanc is my favourite – easy drinking, well-priced “swimming pool wine”, perfect for sun-drowsy lawn lingering.
The brave new world
The next two Constantia wineries are smaller and much more recently established, but they are actually my favourite two, mainly because they offer really great lunch options and dramatic views, without taking themselves too seriously. Eagle’s Nest is along this stretch of the road as well, and although they still make wine, they are no longer open to the public.
Constantia Glen
Founded 25 years ago, Constantia Glen produces only Bordeaux-style reds and whites, as well as sauvignon blanc.
With a relatively casual restaurant, it may surprise you to know that I dream about the cheese platters here. This is for one reason: they feature rooibos-smoked butter, which is an absolute must-have and one of my favourite foodie items in Cape Town (seriously, it is weird how much I think about this butter). Enjoyed alongside one of their tastings, and against the backdrop of the Constantia valley, this is a perfect Constantia lunch.
Beau Constantia
Previously a goat farm, the first vines at Beau Constantia were planted in 2003. The glass-fronted tasting room reflects its modernity, and given that Beau Constantia is high in the valley, it has the best views out over Constantia. The glass also makes Beau Constantia a great option during rainy Cape Town winters, because the tasting room still gets a lot of light. At the risk of sounding like a slight weirdo, if you do a tasting, don’t miss the “loo with a view”.
For an absolutely fabulous lunch, make a reservation at Chef’s Warehouse, a fine dining tapas restaurant with an outpost at Beau Constantia. This is a seasonally changing small plates tasting menu (but you will certainly not leave hungry!), but done in a very relaxed, non-stuffy fashion – very Cape Town.
The Deep South
As you move out of Constantia, things get slightly more casual, and IMHO more family-friendly, but no less delightful. Constantia Uitsig is on this list because of its proximity to Steenberg along Spaanschamat River Road, but you could also tack it onto a tour of the old guard, where it belongs from a historical perspective.
Constantia Uitsig
The last of the four wine farms which split off from the Constantia Estate and the lowest-lying of the lot, Constantia Uitsig (“Constantia View”) now has corporate owners, and is a very impressive estate, with a gobsmacking number of things to do.
Apart from the tasting room, there is a market area with several restaurants and various cuisines, coffee shops, an ice cream shop, and a deli that caters for picnics, which you can have on the lawn. There is also a child-friendly bike park, featuring 3km of tracks, as well as a heritage garden for strolling through, which sells roses. If you like chardonnay (which is less commonly produced in Constantia), try it here.
Steenberg
Established in the 1600s, Steenberg has a lot of history and is also the most beautifully manicured estate in Constantia. There is a hotel, a golf estate, an excellent spa, and two restaurants. For your wine tasting, you can sit in the modern tasting room, or out on the terrace overlooking the enormous infinity pool. If you’re indoors, you can have your tasting against the backdrop of the cellar, which you can see through a glass wall. I absolutely love their MCC, which is deliciously dry.
Next to the tasting room is Bistro Sixteen82, with a trendy yet relaxed atmosphere, which serves breakfast and lunch, and tapas in the evenings. It has a good vibe during the day, when people are in and out of the tasting room, and having glasses of wine on the terrace. The second restaurant, Tryn, has a slightly more upmarket feel, with tasting menus often available. Despite this, it also serves breakfast, and children love roaming around on the lawns while they wait for their eggs.
Cape Point Vineyards
Ok, so Cape Point Vineyards is not actually in Constantia, and is in fact over Ou Kaapse Weg, but it is close enough to Steenberg to be done in the same day. It is a newer wine farm (its first bottling was 25 years ago), and has a much more casual vibe than the older Constantia estates. What makes it special are the sea views, which no other Cape Town wine estate has – watching the sunset from the lawns here is spectacular. They also have an early evening food and wine market on summer Thursdays, which is very popular.
The tasting room serves cheese and charcuterie platters, and also offers wine tastings paired with oysters. Alternatively, there are four restaurant options. The Courtyard Restaurant is family friendly with a shaded patio, an outdoor play area and sea views. It serves cheese and charcuterie platters, pizzas, and burgers. You can also pre-order a picnic basket to have on the lawn near the koi pond, overlooking the ocean.
There are also two slightly more upmarket restaurants – Meldt, which serves sushi and oysters, paired with the estate’s wines, as well as an a la carte bistro. In terms of wine, they make overwhelmingly white wines, with a lot of sauvignon blanc. The Isliedh, their award-winning Cape Bordeaux white blend, is worth a try.
Lesser known wine makers
Some of the below have “cellar doors”, rather than being situated on a wine estate, but are still worth visiting if you are serious about South African wine. Check the times online or contact them directly, as most of them will have more limited availability for wine tastings and sales.
Open by appointment only
You will need to make an appointment for a tasting at any of the estates below: