Map The Wine

Map / South Africa

Stellenbosch

The best-known wine district of South Africa, a university town surrounded by mountains and wine estates.

Northern CapeKwaZulu-NatalFree StateEastern CapeLimpopoNorth WestMpumalangaWestern CapeGautengConstantiaPaarlStellenboschStellenbosch
The shaded area contains the region, and the rounded shape shows its rough extent; the gold dot marks its centre. Drag to pan, or use the buttons or Ctrl and scroll to zoom. Other regions of South Africa are linked on the map.

Where it is

Stellenbosch is about 50 km east of Cape Town, in the Western Cape, in a valley between the Helderberg, Simonsberg and Stellenbosch mountains. The town was founded in 1679.

Land and climate

Mediterranean, with winter rain and warm, dry summers cooled by sea breezes from False Bay. The soils range from granite to sandstone and shale on the mountain slopes.

Grapes and wines

Stellenbosch is best known for Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux blends, but also makes Pinotage, a cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsault developed in 1925 at Stellenbosch University, and white wines from Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc.