Constantia Wine Route

The Constantia Wine Route is where South African winemaking began. In 1685, Simon van der Stel, first Governor of the Cape, selected this lush valley at the foot of Table Mountain as the site for his personal estate, Constantia. He chose well. The valley's unique microclimate -- cooled by ocean breezes sweeping in from False Bay and sheltered by the Constantia mountain range -- proved ideal for growing grapes. On Van der Stel's death, the original Constantia farm was subdivided into three portions: Groot Constantia, Klein Constantia and Bergvliet. The first two remain working wine farms to this day.

By the eighteenth century, Constantia's sweet wines had achieved extraordinary international fame. Napoleon Bonaparte is said to have requested Constantia wine during his exile on St Helena. The wines graced the tables of European royalty and were praised by Jane Austen in Sense and Sensibility. This is not marketing folklore -- it is documented history, and it places the Constantia Wine Route as the oldest wine route in the southern hemisphere.

Today the route comprises around ten member farms, each with distinctive heritage and premium wines. Groot Constantia, the oldest wine farm in South Africa, is a provincial heritage site with a museum, two restaurants and a full tasting programme. Klein Constantia produces the iconic Vin de Constance, a sweet wine that revives the eighteenth-century style that so captivated Napoleon. Buitenverwachting, originally part of Van der Stel's Constantia, offers fine dining and acclaimed Bordeaux-style reds. Steenberg, the Cape's first farm from 1682, combines a boutique hotel, golf course, and distinguished Sauvignon Blanc programme. Eagles' Nest is known for its Shiraz and relaxed lawns. Constantia Glen, Beau Constantia, Constantia Uitsig, High Constantia and Constantia Royale complete the collection.

What unites these farms is the Constantia terroir: ancient decomposed granite and sandstone soils, a south-facing aspect that catches maritime moisture, and a growing season that is consistently cooler and longer than the inland valleys. Sauvignon Blanc is the signature grape of the valley, producing wines of particular intensity and minerality, though the estates collectively cover everything from Bordeaux blends to Methode Cap Classique.

The route sits just fifteen minutes from Cape Town's city centre, making it the most accessible wine region in the Western Cape. Visitors can drive between estates in minutes, walking trails connect several farms, and the lush vineyards, oak-lined avenues, and white-washed Cape Dutch homesteads create a landscape that feels centuries removed from the city. The Constantia Wine Route is both the cradle of South African wine and a living, evolving collection of estates that continue to produce wines of world-class quality.