The Wellington Wine Region is a mere 45-minute drive from the centre of Cape Town.

Wellington’s agricultural economy is centered on its award-winning wines, table grapes, deciduous fruit and it is also home to South Africa’s sole whisky producer.

The region is renowned for beautiful Cape Dutch homesteads, picturesque environment, gardens and wineries.

The historic Bain’s Kloof Pass, with unsurpassed vistas, indigenous flora and fauna and crystal-clear streams and rivers, is the perfect spot for hikers and fly-fishermen.

The pass, built by the famous Scot, Andrew Geddes Bain, was the sole gateway to the north, before Du Toitskloof Pass was built.

 

Closer to town, guided wine-walks and horse-trails through rich farmland and flowering fynbos offer the opportunity to see and experience Mother Nature at her finest.

The Berg River flows along the western border with two smaller streams, the Spruit and Kromme and the towering Hawequa Mountains stand guard on the eastern side.

Wellington is surrounded by fruit orchards, wine estates, buchu plantations and olive groves.

In addition, its vine-cutting nurseries produce approximately 85% of the country’s vine root stock for the wine industry.

 

Hiking trails, bird and wildlife viewing, mountain biking, 4×4 routes and abseiling are just some of the outdoor activities to be enjoyed in the mountainous terrain and scenic surrounds.

More French Huguenots settled here than anywhere else in the Cape and the valley was formerly known as Val du Charron.

Visit the Wellington Museum with its diverse cultural exhibits, and learn more about the region’s history.

The town was renowned as an important academic centre for theological studies and the Seminary gave rise to present-day Huguenot High School and the Huguenot Teachers Training College.

Other educational institutions include Boland College and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.

Situated to the north of Wellington, the villages of Saron (originally a mission station), Gouda and Hermon are spread out amid rich farmlands, in the shadow of the Elandskloof and Winterhoek Mountains.

 

The Wines of the Wellington Wine Region.

Wellington is a wine-producing district in the Western Cape of South Africa, 60 kilometers (40 miles) from Cape Town.

The rolling hills and valleys of the area provide a wide range of suitable sites for wine growers where fine, elegant examples of Pinotage and Chenin Blanc are made.

The town of Wellington is 10 miles (16km) north of Paarl and sits at the divergence of the Berg and Komme Rivers.

The vineyard area surrounding Wellington stretches along the valley floor and up the foothills of the Limietberg Mountains and the Groenberg Mountain in the east.

Wellington lies 55km (35 miles) inland from the Atlantic coast, where the Antarctic Benguela Current provides cooling winds to the region in late summer and helps to regulate the warm temperatures. (Source: https://www.wine-searcher.com/)

 

The mountains have a profound influence on the wine styles made in Wellington.

Although the days are reasonably hot, colder air from the mountains settles in the valleys in the evenings, helping to create a diurnal temperature variation.

The shadows of the mountains also contribute to a later sunrise and earlier sunset, reducing the overall sunlight hours and lengthening the ripening season.

Grapes that ripen slowly are able to develop more concentrated flavors while retaining acidity.

Erosion and weathering in the nearby mountains have provided Wellington with its rich array of soil types.

 

In the lower terraces, vines benefit from well-drained shale, while further up the slopes, sandstone and decomposed granite can be found.

These dry, low-quality soils are perfect for wine production.

Low water content in the soil means a lower grape yield and smaller berries with a higher concentration of flavor.

Vines have been planted in Wellington since the mid-18th Century, when French Huguenot settlers arrived with their viticultural expertise.

 

Originally known as Val Du Charron (Valley of the Wagonmaker), the town was renamed in 1840 to commemorate the Duke of Wellington’s victory over Napoleon at Waterloo.

Since then, Wellington has become one of South Africa’s most important wine-growing areas.

Along with a variety of wine styles, Wellington is an important producer of young vines, and the vast majority of South Africa’s rootstocks come from plantings on the alluvial river plains.

Reflecting the pure water found here, the region also boasts the James Sedgwick single grain distillery, home of the Bain’s whiskey brand.

 

Things to do in the Wellington Wine Region.

There are loads to do in Wellington for both young and old.

Wine tasting, whisky tasting, horse trails, game drives, 4×4 trails, bird watching, fly-fishing, day tours, mountain biking, arts and crafts, hiking and golfing, to name but a few, are all activities available to guests visiting the area.

 

Festivals and Events in the Wellington Wine Region.

Festivals and Events in the region includes the following to name but a few.

• Pinotage on Tap
• Farmers Market at Oude Wellington
• Wellington Parkrun
• Wellington Moonlight Market & Picnic
• Safari Half-Marathon
• Berg River Canoe Marathon

 

We look forward to host you in Wellington in the near future.