Wine without the crowds

The Swartland has become one of South Africa's most exciting wine regions, yet the tasting experience here is relaxed. Many cellars are family-run, and you will often meet the winemaker or a member of the family behind the counter.

Within a few kilometres of the house you can taste at historic estates such as Kloovenburg and Allesverloren, at Pulpit Rock under the mountain, at Meerhof on the pass, or at Marras in Riebeek West. The Wine Kollective in the village stocks small producers who have no tasting room at all.

Because the valley is compact, you can visit two or three cellars in a morning without long drives. Many visitors find that this pace makes them taste more carefully and remember more.

Check opening days before you go, especially early in the week, and book for special tastings such as the first-Friday sessions at Mullineux & Leeu.