Growing Region Stellenbosch - South Africa

Stellenbosch - Wine from the most scenic area of South Africa

Stellenbosch is a university town in South Africa's Western Cape province, located amidst the vineyards of the Cape Winelands district and the mountainous Jonkershoek and Simonsberg nature reserves. It is the oldest settlement founded by Europeans in South Africa after Cape Town, 50 kilometers away. The Cape Dutch architecture with traditional houses and gardens is reminiscent of South Africa's Dutch colonial heritage.

Stellenbosch was founded in 1679 by the second Dutch governor, Simon van der Stel, and named after him. Today, the town is considered South Africa's wine capital, and Stellenbosch is home to the state Wine & Spirits Board, an agricultural college for training South African winemakers, and the Oenoligical and Viticulturual Reserach Institute Nietvoorbij with experimental vineyards.

More about the wine-growing region Stellenbosch

The name Stellenbosch also refers to the wine-growing area of the same name, which belongs to the Coastal Region and is bordered by the Helderberg with the town of Somerset West in the south and the Simonsberg in the northeast. Seven wards belong to the wine-growing region: Banghoek, Bottelary, Devon Valley, Jonkershoek Valley, Papegaaiberg, Polkadraai Hills and Simonsberg-Stellenbosch. A special highlight of the wine-growing region is the wine route, which leads through the sub-regions of Greater Simonsberg, Stellenbosch Mountain, Helderberg, Stellenbosch Hills and Bottelary Hills.

The lovely hilly landscape is one of the most scenic areas in South Africa, with over 17,000 hectares of vineyards. Here, the vines grow on sandy soil in the west and on weathered granite in the east. The climate, influenced by the nearby Atlantic Ocean, is particularly suitable for red wine varieties. Stellenbosch is therefore considered the red wine region of South Africa.

The main red wine varieties grown here are Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz/Syrah, Merlot, Pinotage, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. However, white wine grapes such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Colombard and Sémillon also thrive in the ample rainfall during the summer months.

Some of the best-known wineries in the Stellenbosch area include Alto Estate, Beyerskloof, Boekenhoutskloof, Clos Malverne, Delaire, De Toren, De Trafford, Distell, Dornier, Eikendal, Ernie Els, Ken Forrester, Fairview Estate, Grangehurst, Hartenberg Estate, Idom Wines, Kanonkop Estate, Le Bonheur Wine Estate, Morgehhof, Mulderbosch, Neil Ellis, Stark-Condé, Stellenbosch Vineyards, Thelema Mountain, Tokara, Uiterwyk Estate, Vegenoegd Wine Estate, Waterford, Welmoed, Zevenwacht and Zonnebloem.