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Stellenbosch Wine Route 48 kilometers / 31 miles from Cape Town
This oldest of wine routes was established in 1971 with only a handful
of members. Until then the region was almost exclusively a white wine
producing district as were most at the time - but has since become world
renowned for its award winning red wines.
Farmers were delivering their grapes to a central body, KWV, but soon
the opportunity the need almost to bottle wine under their personal labels
was too great, so they attacked the matter in Quixotic style, undaunted,
until they had the freedom to do so.
Membership has since grown to 120 with some 300 suppliers of that most
delicious fruit of the vine. Almost all member wine estates are open to
the public for wine tasting, cellar tours and sales. Wines can be delivered
both locally and internationally. Many have picnic facilities or restaurants
offering something to tantalise even the most discerning of palates from
vintner's platters, to traditional South African dishes, exciting Mediterranean
offerings and elegant French cuisine.
The SWR is divided into five sub-routes, namely the Stellenbosch Berg,
Stellenbosch Hills, Greater Simonsberg, Bottelary Hills and Helderberg.
Look out for the clearly marked signboards dotted along the route with
the SWR logo and name of the estate.
The first grapes were planted by the then Governor of the Cape, Simon
Van der Stel, in 1679, after he established Stellenbosch, the oldest town
in the country after Cape Town. Stellenbosch is known not only as the
heart of the Winelands, but the jewel of South African Tourism and a prime
international tourist destination.
Contact details: Tel: +27 21 886 4310 Fax: +27 21 886 4330 E-mail:
info@wineroute.co.za
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