Here is a list of recommended wineries in Franschhoek. If you’re planning to visit the South Africa Cape a detour to the regions winelands is a must. That is if you drink wine

How to decide between estates at Stellenbosch and wineries in Franschhoek?

Stellenbosch, the second oldest town in South Africa is home to busy estates and Franshhoek is quiet and scenic. However, Franschhoek is more touristy than Stellenbosch. Personally I like Stellenbosch because it’s a living, working town & not at all touristy like Franschhoek.

But again, Franschhoek is a small village, set at the bottom of a valley, so you have great scenery. It consists of one main high street, but there are a plethora of great restaurants around and all easy to walk to.  I guess it always comes down to personal preference.

Since I’m mainly into red wines and small towns I’ll recommend my top 3 favorite wineries in Franschhoek.

Boekenhoutskloof

Founded in 1776, Boekenhoutskloof is one of the oldest farms situated up the “Valley” in the Franschhoek foothills. Boekenhoutskloof, is one of the wineries in Franschhoek that shot to prominence with its first Syrah (1997) and is today rated among the Cape’s leading producers. Only approximately 600 cases of the Syrah, 800 of the Cabernet are produced. Boekenhoutskloof’s has a more available second label, Porcupine Ridge.

 La Motte

Situated in the beautiful Franschhoek Valley in South Africa’s Cape winelands, La Motte is home to some of South Africa’s finest wines, recognized internationally for their exceptional quality. In harmony with the production of wines, La Motte has also ventured into flower cultivation and the production of ethereal oils.

With its picturesque setting, historic buildings and rural atmosphere, La Motte is an enchanting destination for visitors to the wineries in Franschhoek.

Glenwood

Located in the little-known valley of Robertsvlei, a few kilometres from Franschhoek, the farm is surrounded by aspects of outstanding natural beauty.

Glenwood’s Flagship is the Chardonnay Vigneron’s selection, barrel fermented and matured in new French barrels with only wild yeast. Winning numerous awards, this wine features outstanding fruit and oak integration with a lingering aftertaste of smokey peach.

Are these the only wineries in Franschhoek?

If you have the time and will be in the area for longer than one or two days I would also look at the estates north up the road towards Paarl. Lynx offers another small personal tasting and Dieter Sellmeyer has a lovely selection of red wines.

To experience some very unique wines and to dab in a bit of history of the wineries in Franschhoek make a turn at Solms Delta. Solms Delta produces some excellent and very unusual varieties. They are also one of the most community based wine estates in the region and have the excellent Museum Van De Caab that tells the history of both the estate and the region -a very interesting story going back more than 300 years.

Plaisir de Merle is further along but on the other side of the road into the mountains. It has a lovely historic cellar, manor house and gardens. Again excellent red wines and I particularly like their Cabernet Franc – one of the best of quite a few excellent new examples of this single variety in the Cape.

Finally, I have to mention that Vrede en Lust is one of the best tasting room experiences in all the area wineries in Franschhoek (alongside La Motte). Try their Boet Erasmus blend and their Mocholate Malbec.

But then, if you have two days, you could really enhance your experience of South African wines by travelling 30 mins over the mountain into Stellenbosch.