South Africa Wine Country

The French Huguenots who came to South Africa in the late 17th century helped fortify the developing wine industry of the Cape. Today there are over 200 wineries within a day's drive of Cape Town, and a visit to a vineyard is a must for those who enjoy trying new wines.

We toured two very different vineyards on a half-day tour while in Cape Town. The first vineyard was Anura, which was established in 1989 and has 120 hectares of vineyards near Paarl. Anura produces wine under two labels--Anura and Frog Hill. This small winery is relatively new and also makes delicious cheeses, which they serve along with the wine at tastings in their comfortable tasting room and restaurant.

The second vineyard we visited was the 1000-hectare Spier Estate, established in 1692. In addition to vineyards and wine tastings, Spier has a hotel, restaurant, golf course, conference center, and a wildlife outreach program. The company may have started as a vineyard and winery, but today has much more.