The Tulbagh Wine Region is a mere 90-minute scenic road trip from Cape Town.

The Tulbagh Wine Region has always been celebrated for the beauty of its setting and the historical significance of its town.

In more recent times, wine has moved centre stage and visitors to the valley can now enjoy a wide range of wines from the various estates and private cellars wines that have received a string of national and international awards including Diners Club Wine Maker of the Year, a healthy spread of gold and double gold Veritas awards, and numerous others.

Tulbagh has always been innovative in its approach to wine making, with Twee Jonge Gezellen being the first estate to introduce night harvesting in South Africa, a concept now employed by many producers throughout the Cape.

Tulbagh is situated in a bowl surrounded by imposing mountain ranges, with the Obiqua Mountains to the west, the Winterhoek Mountains in die north and the Witzenberg Mountains to the east.

The Southern side of the valley is open to cooling south-east winds during the hot summer months. Accordingly, Tulbagh enjoys some of the most diverse and attractive conditions for viticulture in the Cape and the differences in terroir available to wine makers allow for a wide diversity of distinctive wines of excellence, attributes which have attracted many new producers to the valley.

It is the express aim of the Tulbagh Wine Route to make the experience of the wine visitor to the valley as memorable as possible and we are sure both our wines and the estates and cellars that produce them will surprise and delight you.

The Wines of the Tulbagh Wine Region

Tulbagh is a wine-producing district in South Africa’s Western Cape, to the north of Paarl, with Swartland bordering it to the west and north.

The region’s location in a horseshoe-shaped valley gives producers a range of terroirs to work with.

An assortment of grape varieties is cultivated, of which Shiraz is the most important.

Tulbagh is surrounded by the Winterhoek Mountains to the north, the Witzenberg Mountains to the east, and is separated from the Atlantic Ocean on the west by the Obiqua mountain range.

The southern end of the valley is open, allowing cooling southwesterly breezes to permeate the area. While Tulbagh is generally hot and dry, the surrounding mountains have a marked effect on the region’s climate.

Cool evening air is trapped in the valley during the day, helping to lower the daytime temperatures.

The shadows of the mountains affect the temperatures as well, reducing the amount of daily sunlight that reaches the grapes.

These climate-moderating factors lengthen the ripening season, producing grapes that have had time to develop excellent flavor concentration while retaining acidity. (Source: https://www.wine-searcher.com/)

Rainfall in Tulbagh is around 500mm (20 inches) annually, with most of the rain falling in the winter months.

These cold, wet winters mean that the vines have a long season of dormancy, allowing them to top up their resources between growing seasons.

The Klein Berg River provides wine farms with water for irrigation during the dry summers.

The river valley and mountain foothills provide various aspects, slopes and soil types for the planting of vineyards, giving wine estates an opportunity to experiment with many different varieties.

Soils on the river plains are generally pebbly and sandy, similar to those found in the southern end of France’s Rhone Valley.

The higher slopes are made up of shale and sandstone, providing low-quality, well-drained soils for the vines.

This lack of water and nutrients causes the vines to dig their root systems further into the ground for nutrients and hydration, creating lower yields and stronger vines.

Shiraz is king in Tulbagh, and the wines made from this grape are often made into traditional Southern Rhone blends along with Mourvedre and Viognier. Cabernet Sauvignon and red Bordeaux blends are less common.

The most important white-wine variety is Chenin Blanc, but Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are also common plantings in Tulbagh.

The three century-old Twee Jonge Gezellen Estate also produces traditional method sparkling wine under the Krone label.

Tourists visiting the region can follow the Tulbagh Wine Route which has ten member estates, including both historic wine farms and state-of-the-art wineries.

Other attractions include mountain biking, hiking and a notable colonial history dating back to the first Dutch and Huguenot settlements – though many of the oldest buildings were destroyed or damaged by an earthquake in 1969.

Things to do in the Tulbagh Wine Region.

Visitors to Tulbagh can enjoy tractor rides, wine tasting, visit art galleries, fishing, hiking trails, mountain bike trails and also go ziplining at nearby Ceres.

Festivals and Events in the Tulbagh Wine Region.

Festivals in Tulbagh includes the following to name but a few.

• Tulbagh Vintage & Vine Faire
• Christmas in Winter
• Tulbagh Arts Festival
• Tulbagh Summer Concerts
• Tulbagh Horse Show

We look forward to you visit.