Stellenbosch Wine Tour from Cape Town: Cellar tours & private tastings

Taste inside the cellars and a winemaker's dining room, not just the tasting room

You visit three estates across the Stellenbosch Winelands in one day: start with cellar tour and sabrage at Simonsig, move to a private cheese pairing at a winemaker's home, then finish with barrel tasting and braai lunch at Middelvlei. Private transport, all tastings and meals included, small groups under 13 people.

Step-by-step itinerary

Wine tastings and local experiences

• Visit Simonsig Wine Estate
• Enjoy cellar tour and sabrage
• Taste wines and local delicacies
• Private wine and cheese pairing
• Visit Middelvlei Estate
• Wine and barrel tasting
• Enjoy traditional South African Braai lunch
• Explore boutique winery
• Pass by Stellenbosch town sights

The experience

The cork flies. You're standing in the cool stone cellar at Simonsig Wine Estate, and the guide has just opened a bottle of Method Cap Classique (South African sparkling wine made the old French way) by running a saber along the bottle's neck. It's one of those moments that feels staged until it happens in front of you. The estate sits on some of the oldest vineyard land in South Africa, and the tasting that follows includes local biltong and dry wors, which tastes nothing like what you'd expect and somehow tastes exactly right with the wine.

After Simonsig, the group moves to a private home in the Stellenbosch Winelands (not a tasting room, an actual house), where a winemaker and her family host a cheese pairing in their dining room and cellar. It's the kind of thing that doesn't happen on bigger tours. You sit down, the wine comes out, and someone who actually makes the stuff is telling you why this particular cheese works with this particular vintage. The group stays small, maximum 13 people, which means there's room to ask questions without feeling like you're holding up a line.

By afternoon you're at Middelvlei Estate, a farm that leans hard into hospitality. The wine tasting includes barrel tasting (you're tasting wine straight from the barrel before it's bottled), and then lunch arrives: a traditional South African braai, which is more than just grilled meat. It's the whole thing. Stellenbosch itself, the town wrapped around the vineyards, has oak-shaded streets, Cape Dutch architecture from the colonial era, and cafes you could disappear into for an hour if the itinerary allowed it. The tour includes private transport the whole day, so you're not driving between estates or worrying about how much you're tasting.

The full day tour runs daily, and the route hits a mix of large and boutique wineries. You're not stuck at the famous names or the tiny ones, it's both. Your guide handles the pacing and the stories, and they're the kind who actually know the region instead of reading from a script. Everything is included: the transport, the tastings, the lunch, the fees. You show up at pickup, and the logistics stop being your problem.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup in Cape Town, private transport between all three estates, cellar tour and sabrage at Simonsig Wine Estate, private cheese pairing with a winemaker in her home, wine and barrel tasting at Middelvlei Estate, traditional braai lunch, snacks including South African biltong and dry wors, all wine tastings, and all fees and taxes. Return transport to Cape Town is included at the end of the day.

Before you book

Days and timesWednesday, Thursday and SaturdayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Under 18: can't be booked

GroupUp to 13

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Wine Flies Wine Tours - Day Tours

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want the Stellenbosch Winelands without arranging transport between estates or managing your own timing: the small group size and private experiences (cellar tour, winemaker's home, barrel tasting) are what make a full day of tasting possible without feeling rushed or crowded.

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Top questions

How long is the full day wine tour from Cape Town?

The tour runs a full day. Exact duration depends on pickup location and traffic, but plan for approximately 8–10 hours including all three estates and lunch.

What's included in the price?

Private transport, all wine tastings, cellar tour, cheese pairing, braai lunch, snacks (biltong and wors), and all fees and taxes.

What is Method Cap Classique?

South African sparkling wine made using the traditional French method (méthode champenoise). You'll taste it at Simonsig during the cellar tour and sabrage experience.

Is the cheese pairing really at a winemaker's private home?

Yes, it's a private experience hosted in the winemaker's home, dining room and cellar, not a commercial tasting room.

What's a braai?

A traditional South African barbecue and social gathering. At Middelvlei, it's served as a gourmet lunch with grilled meats and sides.

How many people are on the tour?

Groups are kept small, maximum 13 guests, which allows for more personal interaction with guides and winemakers.

Do I need to arrange my own transport to the wineries?

No, private transport is included for the entire day. You're picked up and driven between all three estates.

Can I do this tour if I don't drink alcohol?

The tour is built around wine tastings, but you can discuss non-alcoholic options when booking.