The 5 Best Hidden Gem Wineries in Franschhoek

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Leeu Estates in Franschhoek, where Mullineux and Leeu Family Wines is located. This is one of Franschhoek's best hidden gem wineries. Photo: Leeu Estates via WETU — Leeu Estates / *Photo: Leeu Estates via WETU*

So you know about Babylonstoren and Boschendal, everyone’s favourite Franschhoek wineries, and you’ve even made a stop at Maison (a great Franschhoek lunch option). If you’ve done the big names, you might be ready to discover some of Franschhoek’s hidden gem wineries, which most tourists never find.

There are over 50 wine farms in Franschhoek, and a lot of them are slightly under the radar. Some of them date back to the 17th century, but there are newer farms too, and there is always something exciting to explore in Franschhoek.

This guide rounds up the best hidden gem wineries in Franschhoek. These are boutique estates, or off-the-beaten-track delights, or wine farms that don’t make “must-do” lists, but which locals love.

There will be fewer tourists, and some of them are a bit less glam, but they make up for that with old-school charm, excellent wine, and the feeling that you’ve been let in on a delicious secret.

1. Klein Goederust

Klein Goederust is a boutique Franschhoek winery which dates back to 1905. In 2019, it was bought by South African businessman Paul Siguqa, whose father and grandmother had been farm workers in Franschhoek, and it became the first Black-owned wine farm in Franschhoek.

The tasting room is over 100 years old, but it is bright and airy – I love the exposed wooden beams and brick, which give a hint of its history. They make a small range of wines – a Chenin Blanc, a Shiraz, a Cabernet Merlot Blend, a dessert wine, and a Méthode Cap Classique (or “MCC”).

MCC is a South African sparkling wine made in the traditional Champagne method. Klein Goederust’s MCC is its most popular wine, and it regularly sells out. If you can taste it, make sure you do.

During the week, you can enjoy a cheese platter with your tasting, but on the weekends, their lamb spitbraai (barbecue) is very popular. You can sample all kinds of South African food, like roosterkoek (bread rolls made on a barbecue) and chicken potjie (a slow-cooked stew).

2. Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines at Leeu Estate

The Mullineux and Leeu Family Wines tasting room at Leeu Estates. This is one of the best hidden gem wineries in Franschhoek. Photo: Leeu Estates via WETU. — The Wine Studio at Leeu Estates / *Photo: Leeu Estates via Wethu*

Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines is situated at Leeu Estates in Franschhoek. IMHO, this is one of the best wineries in Franschhoek, and it manages to maintain an air of calm, nonchalant luxury, which makes you feel like you’ve been let in on the best-kept winelands secret.

They make wine under the Mullineux brand, or the Leeu Passant brand, and you choose which you want to do at your tasting. Mullineux is actually made in the Swartland (also an excellent wine-making region), so if you want a Franschhoek wine, pick the Leeu Passant tasting. Tastings must be booked in advance.

You are spoilt for choice for lunch. La Petit Colombe, one of South Africa’s best restaurants, has opened at Leeu Estates and offers a fine dining tasting menu, which is a must-do in Franschhoek.

Apart from La Petit Colombe, you can have lunch or dinner at the Dining Room at Leeu Estates, as long as you’re having a wine tasting, or you’re visiting the spa (you need your tasting room or spa booking code when booking at the Dining Room).

The Leeu Spa is one of my favourites in South Africa – it is quiet, calm and very luxurious. After your treatment, enjoy both indoor and outdoor pools, and the beautifully manicured gardens filled with sculptures.

3. Le Lude Estate

Another hidden gem that nobody ever talks about, don’t skip Le Lude. Le Lude is a newer cellar, opened in 2009, which is also well-known for its MCC (described by one wine critic as “light like a Ballerina” – is there anything more chic?).

Le Lude is set slightly above the town of Franschhoek, which makes for beautiful mountain views. The decor is absolutely fabulous, with large windows, chequered floors, and an upmarket, French vibe.

For lunch, you can enjoy cheese boards and casual meals in the tasting room, or book at the Orangerie Restaurant for slightly more formal French cuisine. Lunch on the terrace, surrounded by the ivy-draped walls, is a very Franschhoek affair. You can also book cellar tours.

Lunch or afternoon tea at the Orangerie at Le Lude is one of the best things you can do in Cape Town in winter.

4. Boekenhoutskloof

Vineyards at Boekenhoutskloof in Franschhoek. Photo: Charmaine Greiger via WOSA. — Vineyards at Boekenhoutskloof / *Photo: Charmaine Greiger via WOSA*

I’d been obsessed with The Chocolate Block, Boekenhoutskloof‘s Syrah blend, for most of my adult life, without ever knowing where the farm was (well, the latter part of my adult life – The Chocolate Block was not within my budget in my 20s).

I was absolutely delighted when I realised that Boekenhoutskloof is in Franschhoek. The estate is slightly out of the way, and you’re unlikely to drive past like you would for some of the bigger farms. Tastings are by appointment only, and include a tour and a discussion with the winemaker.

Even though it requires a bit of admin, Boekenhoutskloof is definitely worth a visit. They are syrah specialists, and apart from the Chocolate Block (which you must try), they also make wine under the Boekenhoutskloof brand, which regularly sells out, and the more affordable Wolftrap brand.

The only issue with Boekenhoutskloof is that you can only do a tasting by appointment, and you can only make an appointment during one of two single-hour slots per week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you ask me, this adds to Boekenhoutskloof’s allure, but make sure you book in advance.

5. Rupert and Rothschild Vignerons

Last but not least, Rupert and Rothschild Vignerons perfectly epitomises everything that Franschhoek is about – refined luxury, excellent food and wine, stunning surroundings, but all done with very quiet sophistication.

Although it’s very near to Franschhoek favourites Vrede en Lust and Plaisir, Rupert and Rothschild is a small estate, and is not on the Franschhoek Wine Tram route – most people who come for tastings or lunch do so deliberately, rather than stumbling upon it, and they strongly encourage bookings.

What makes Rupert and Rothschild unique is that, although they make a fair amount of their own wine (under the Rupert and Rothschild brand), they also sell and allow tastings of French wine and Champagne, as well as wine from Spain, New Zealand and Argentina.

They also have a small restaurant, which serves lunch, including a tasting menu paired with their wines. I haven’t been, but the reviews are consistently good.

Planning Your Hidden Gem Franschhoek Wine Tasting Itinerary

The Huguenot Monument in Franschhoek / *Photo: Eddie Wilson via WOSA*

IMHO, three wine farms is the magic number for a wine tasting day. By the third stop, it’s usually time for lunch, after which most people want a nap. Any more than three, and things tend to get a bit messy, or you forget what you’ve even tasted (unless your party is classy enough to make use of the spittoons – of course they are).

You are usually better off booking for lunches and tastings at Franschhoek wine farms, but for most of these off-the-radar farms, booking is essential, and some of the tastings are by appointment only.

If you’re doing only a tasting, plan for about an hour at each farm, and if you’re having lunch, give yourself at least two hours.

Option 1: If it’s a Tuesday or a Thursday, start with breakfast in the village, and then head to your first tasting at Boekenhoutskloof. Afterwards, go to Le Lude for some MCC and oysters, before heading to lunch and your third tasting at Rupert and Rothschild. Spend the afternoon at the Leeu Spa (and have a fourth tasting, if you must, at your own peril).

Option 2: On a weekend, start at Leeu Estates. Have a massage at the Leeu Spa, followed by your first wine tasting. Have your second tasting at Klein Goederust, and if you feel like a casual lunch with good vibes, stay for the barbecue. Have your third tasting at Le Lude (and if you’re still hungry, have afternoon tea there).

Ready to Head to Franschhoek?

If you’re now absolutely parched and in need of some MCC, it’s time to start planning your trip to Franschhoek. These hidden gem wine farms are a good reminder that the best South African wine farms aren’t always the most famous – the tucked-away, unassuming, quiet luxury farms sometimes make the best memories.

If you’re planning a full weekend in Franschhoek, see my suggested itinerary here, and pair a few of these off-the-radar spots with some of Franschhoek’s better-known classic wine farms.