Touring wine estates with Cape Town car hire

Touring wine estates with Cape Town car hire

Cape Town car hire is a great option for touring the Cape’s exceptional wine estates. There are three wine routes located within 20 minutes of the city centre, one of them being the magnificent Constantia Wine Route. Renting a car for travelling through the vineyards is a wise choice because of the convenience it offers: spontaneity and an self-sufficient trip.

Tour the Constantia Wine Route with Cape Town car hire

The picturesque Constantia Valley is a lovely place to tour, especially with the freedom of Cape Town car hire. The wine estates along the route offer cellar tours, wine tastings, vineyard picnics and sumptuous restaurants. If you spontaneously decide to stay over, there are luxury hotels, spas and a beautiful 18 hole golf course to keep you entertained.

Constantia wine estates

Groot Constantia

At Groot Constantia the beginnings of the South African wine industry can be discovered. The farm, established in 1685, is the oldest wine producing area in the country and today crafts wonderful white and red wines. The cellar is open for tours seven days a week.

On the estate:

• The Manor House: a cultural history museum
• The Cloete Cellar: displays a variety of drinking vessels and wine making equipment
• Tasting Cellar: at the entrance to the estate
• Simon’s Restaurant: Friday nights are band nights and a jazz band plays on Sunday afternoons from 4:30pm
• Jonkershuis Restaurant: Cape Malay and classic cuisine with views of False Bay
• Vineyard picnics: arranged with Groot Constantia at least 24 hours in advance, picnics are made up on-site

Constantia Uitsig

A wonderful place to visit is Constantia Uitsig. This lovely wine estate creates a selection of highly regarded wines which can be tasted at the Wine Shop at the entrance of the farm. The Wine Shop is open seven days a week. Trained staff are on hand to assist with enquiries such as food and wine pairings or information about the history of the estate.

On the estate:

• Constantia Uitsig Hotel: 16 garden rooms
• Constantia Uitsig Spa: therapies and treatments
• La Colombe Restaurant: excellent restaurant overseen by chef Luke Dale-Roberts
• Constantia Uitsig Restaurant
• The River Café
• The Wine Shop: at the entrance of the estate

Klein Constantia

Klein Constantia is a magnificent wine estate with wonderful views of the valley and False Bay. It has an intriguing history and produces a recreation of a famous historical wine made over a hundred years ago from Constantia’s vineyards: the “Constantia”. Along with an array of red and white wines, Klein Constantia has reproduced the original “Constantia” under the label of “Vin de Constance”.

Steenberg Wines

Home to a national monument and a championship golf course, Steenberg Vineyards is a unique wine estate. The original farm buildings dating back to 1740 have been declared a national monument and are now part of a five star hotel. Steenberg’s state of the art cellar offers tours twice daily and wine tasting takes place in the winery every day.

On the estate:

• Catharina’s Restaurant: fine food and wonderful views of False Bay, the Steenberg mountains and the vineyards.
• Bistro1682: A unique daytime restaurant
• Steenberg Spa
• An eco-conscious, championship 18 hole golf course.

Buitenverwachting

The Buitenverwachting wine estate is set on the slopes of the Constantiaberg, not far from False Bay. The farm produces an array of excellent wines and offers fine dining in its superb restaurant.

Interesting fact: the farm still grows a block of Hanepoot table grapes from century-old vines.

On the estate:

• Buitenverwachting Restaurant
• Garden picnics: made to order by the restaurant

The Constantia Valley and its charming wine estates are wonderful places to tour. Cape Town car hire offers you the convenience of meandering the route at your leisure and the autonomy of managing your trip.