Unusual Wine Tasting Options In Cape Town

It’s not hard to find great wine tasting options in Cape Town. With impeccable estates dotted across the province, you’re pretty spoilt for choice no matter where you decided to head. But some estates aren’t satisfied with just pouring you a few drops of their award-winning wines. If you’re looking for a truly unique tasting experience outside of the ordinary, then consider heading to one of these estates that are doing things a bit different.

Cupcake pairing at Delheim

Delheim is one of the most beautiful estates in the Cape, and they’ve been producing some of the most acclaimed wines for many years now. As if that wasn’t enough, they’ve gone one step further by pairing their exquisite wines with four gourmet cupcakes. These are no generic cupcakes, either—each incorporates popular varietals such as Chenin blanc, pinotage, and Gewürztraminer to make for the perfect partner to your glass of wine.

Underground wine tasting at Weltevrede

There are few wine tasting locations in the Cape like Weltevrede’s candlelit cellar. This unique underground tasting room, situated in the quaint town of Bonnievale, is home to thousands of wines, but they also allow you to taste some of their popular products free from the distractions present in so many overly commercialized operations. https://www.instagram.com/p/BJVdFN-h4yh/?taken-at=115307821043

Mix red wine with red wine ice cream at Somerbosch

If you like your red wine and ice cream, but never had the opportunity to sample both together, then head to Somerbosch Wine Estate. There they offer an interesting option of tasting the best of their red wines with ice creams infused with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Shiraz.

Sensory overload in an old underground cellar at Esona

Esona is a boutique estate that does many things differently than their bigger rivals in the wine industry. What the estate lacks in size, it more than makes up for in charm and quality. Situated along the banks Breede River, and with impressive views of the fertile valley, you may be surprised to know that the true gem of this estate is underground. But the husband and wife team that owns the estate has restored the old cellar, previously used to preserve wines, added candles, and unique pairings, turning this into one of the most unique wine tasting experiences in the Cape.

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Blend your own wine at Excelsior

Winery

Excelsior Estate offers some of the best wines to drink to remarkable views, but they’ve also introduced something unique into the tasting experience. They now offer visitors the chance to taste three of their most popular wines, and then combine them into a unique blend to take home in a freshly corked and labeled bottle unlike any other.

Taste exclusive wines in a cave at Klein Roosboom

If you’re set on tasting your wines in a unique underground location close to Cape Town, then you need drive no further than Durbanville’s Klein Roosboom. They only produce as much wine as their vineyards can handle, which means you’re unlikely to find endless bottles of it displayed on supermarket shelves around the country. Wine of the quality that Klein Roosboom produces deserves an unrivaled tasting room, which you’ll find in their unique caves. These eclectic semi-private underground alcoves are uniquely decorated and make for an all-around remarkable tasting experience.

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Pair ice cream and wine at Clos Malverne

Clos Malverne was one of the first estates to offer wine and ice cream pairing, and they’re still one of the best. This is one of their many signature pairings at the estate, and they will match the likes of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinotage to delicious, handcrafted ice creams with flavors like roasted onion, reduced balsamic and smoked olive, or raspberry, honeycomb, and chocolate cookie crumb, that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else.

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Sample salt and wines at Fleur du Cap

If you prefer your pairings on the savory side, Fleur du Cap offers you the chance to sample artisanal salt alongside their celebrated wines. Chef Craig Cormack has sourced salts from around the world to perfectly suit the wines on offer. With more than 180 salt types around the world, it’s a unique tasting experience like few others in the world. What’s more, the tasting takes place in Die Bergkelder—a beautiful mountain cellar.

About the author

Andrew Thompson

Freelance Writer - instagram.com/andrewthompsonsa

I'm a freelance writer based in Cape Town, South Africa. I write primarily about Cape Town and South Africa, but also spend time abroad producing stories for a wide range of websites and publications. Follow me on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/andrewthompsonsa