Wellington Wine Route 7 farms

Wellington Wine Route

If you seek the road less travelled then there's no wrong turn when visiting the picturesque town of Wellington, declared 'Top Wine Area' in the 2016 South African Terroir Awards. Surrounded by wine estates, fruit orchards, buchu plantations and olive groves, it's also home to South Africa's first indigenous distillery. Here's where visitors meandering off the beaten track can discover artisinal produce and scenic routes, and even game reserves set among the fynbos and indigenous Renosterveld.

Experience

The people of the warm-hearted valley offer a variety of activities including game drives, mountain biking trails and hiking.

The town and surrounding winelands offers a wide range of cuisine from classic French to modern Italian, South African and Mediterranean to country-style. Many wine farms offer restaurants on site, and visitors can expect unpretentious family fare in beautiful surroundings.

Tucked away in the foothills of the Hawekwas Mountain Range, close to Paarl, Wellington offers a range of accommodation, from guesthouses to farmstay cottages.

Wineries

Wellington is literally the cradle of the contemporary South African wine industry, supplying up to 85% of the country’s vine cuttings, colloquially known as stokkies. Wellington has emerged as an acclaimed, trendsetting player on the South African wine scene, and a notable international wine tourism destination in its own right.

One of the youngest wine districts, it comprises a 15-member wine route and is in the process of defining its terroir-based wards.

The compact wine route, with its dense concentration of historic wine farms and estates, covers extraordinary diverse terrain, stretching from the Berg River to the Swartland wheat fields, and into the foothills of the Hawequa Mountains.

Wellness

Relax and unwind with exquisite views of vineyards and soothing scents of lavender. Enjoy a wonderful massage at The Spa at Val du Charon or Vineyard Spa at Diemersfontein. With the help of our qualified therapist, you will leave feeling like you had just stepped out of heaven.

Things To Do

Visitors can tour the James Sedgwick Distillery and the Wellington Museum, or catch a concert or show at the Breytenbach Centre in town.

Drive through the historic Bainskloof Pass
Visit Bosman Family Vineyards for their very interesting grafting tour, their museum and some wine tasting
Enjoy a scenic game drive at Bontebok Ridge Reserve to learn about conservation in the Wellington area, and eco-tourism
Visit the smallest registered wine farm in South Africa, Jacaranda Wine and Guest Farm
Walk the Welvanpas Hiking Trail, which is situated on a site of historical importance as well as host to the most amazing MTB trails in the Cape Winelands
Visit the art gallery and bookstore at Breytenbach Centre for some inspiration and beauty
Visit our amazing and diverse wine farms for wine tasting experiences. Some wine-tasting facilities offer food-and-wine pairings to tantalise your taste buds, and show how their wines complement various seasonal dishes
The Wellington Wine Walk is a popular experience. Guests walk through various wine farms and enjoy their wine and food, and learn about the Wellington area’s vineyards and the rich heritage of our valley
Wellington has an amazing and rich history. The Heritage Trail takes you through the town, showcasing the beautiful old buildings. A Heritage Trail brochure can be collected at the Information Office to guide you ,and to inform you about facts and details about these buildings

Events

Try the Pinotage on Tap festival in September, a celebration of this unique varietal. Diemersfontein in Wellington celebrates "The Original Coffee Pinotage" with barrels of its famous wine spread around the wine estate, providing the good stuff on tap.

Related Blog

The Journey of a Grape

The journey from vine to glass is a matter of science and circumstance. There are a wide number of species of vines which bears a variety of grapes, known as varietals. Each varietal, affected by soil type, climate, wind, farming practices and other factors produces various characteristics.

Tshepang Molisana shares the journey of a grape from vine to wine glass with us.

Amazing Glamping Getaways in the Winelands

If you love being immersed in nature, but still enjoy those small luxuries (like fresh linen and your own loo), glamping is the perfect solution. Don’t worry about pitching tents, setting up a mobile kitchen or dragging along your toolbox with outdoor gadgets – it’s been taken care of.

You can just rock up, start the braai, pour a glass of wine and relax at any of these glamorous camping spots in South Africa’s winelands.

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