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Durbanville
Most tours of wine country start in the capital city, so the first thing to do is head due south on the M3 to the country's most historic wine region, Constantia, which originally earned fame for its legendary sweet wines (Napoleon was a fan). Nowadays the offering is more diverse, as you will find south off the M41 at Groot Constantia, where scenes from for the new King Solomon's Mines film were recently shot.
Groot Constantia is South Africa's oldest wine estate, founded in 1685. This may be your first taste of traditional Cape Dutch architecture, typically a collection of white-walled buildings with prominent gables and thatched roofs. In addition, there's a rare gem of a classical sculpture over the entrance to the old winery (see if you can spot the highly unorthodox female cherub). Despite the strong sense of history, Groot Constantia's wines continue to move with the times. Make sure you try the Sauvignon Blanc, it's the region's best grape, though the style is bit more restrained than you'll find elsewhere.
In terms of white wines, Durbanville Wine Valley is best known for its frequently awarded Sauvignon Blanc, with its Semillon wines starting to attract attention. On the red side, the valley's wines are characterised by intense full black and red berry flavours in the grapes, as well as complex herbaceous characteristics and elegant tannins. The Durbanville Wine Valley is especially noted for its Merlot and Shiraz.
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