The Worcester Wine Route is located less than 2 hours drive from Cape Town.

In the heart of the breathtaking Breede River Valley, you will discover the Worcester Wine and Olive route.

We have twelve award winning wine cellars and two world class Olive Estates.

Our wine valley offers an unforgettable experience for anyone who is either a novice or the connoisseur.

Situated a 110km from Cape Town, all the cellars are open to the public for wine tasting and sales. 

Our area which is known for having produced wines for many generations and is acclaimed for both Cabernet Sauvignon and Chenin Blanc.

We proud ourselves on both National and International Awards of Distinction.

We also, contribute to about one-fifth of the national vineyards and more than a quarter of the country’s total wine and spirits production.

The Worcester area, which includes the Nuy Valley, De Doorns and the R43 area, which is all known for its award-winning value-for-money wines and world class olive products.

Don’t have tunnel vision – there is indeed light at the end!

So, come and make a day trip of the route and stop in-between wine and olive tasting, enjoy one of the many bistros and restaurants on the route, or experience the Worcester Wine & Olive Route on a weekend away and stay over at one of the beautiful guest houses.

The Wines of the Worcester Wine Region.

Worcester is a large South Africa wine-producing district 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Cape Town, in the sheltered Breede River Valley.

The vineyards of Worcester produce roughly a quarter of all the country’s wine, and the region has many co-operative estates.

A wide range of varieties are planted here; Chenin Blanc, Colombard and Sauvignon Blanc are among the most important white wine grape varieties. 

Shiraz, Pinotage and Cabernet Sauvignon are among the principal red wine grape varieties.

Worcester is protected from extreme weather by mountain ranges on every side.

The Hex River and Langeberg Mountains form the district’s northern border while in the south, the Boland and Riviersonderend Mountains separate the region from Stellenbosch and Walker Bay. (Source: https://www.wine-searcher.com/)

The area is particularly hot, with average summer temperatures often reaching well beyond 30C/85F. Overlapping rain shadows caused by the mountains to the south and the west mean that irrigation is needed almost everywhere in Worcester.

The nearby Brandvlei Dam provides water for the widely used drip irrigation method.

Because of the climatic and topographical variations in the Worcester district, wine styles vary greatly, encompassing both red and white varieties.

While the majority of grapes are grown on the gently rolling valley floor, higher-quality wines are made from vineyards on the surrounding mountain slopes.

Here, soils with good drainage produce vines with low yields and highly concentrated fruit, in turn producing more-complex and concentrated wines.

The Worcester region served as a fruitful hunting ground in the late 17th Century due to the abundance of wildlife.

The growth of European livestock farming necessitated the establishment of a town and by the 1830s, Worcester had become the commercial heart of the district.

German settlers arrived in the mid-19th Century and began to cultivate the land, planting vineyards and orchards.

The district is made up of the wards of Nuy, Scherpenheuval, Stettyn and the elevated Hex River Valley. Along with wines, the Hex River Valley also produces nearly 90,000 tons of table grapes each year.

Worcester is also famous for its brandy, and the largest brandy distillery in the southern hemisphere, the KWV House of Brandy, is located here.

Things to do in the Worcester Wine Region.

Guests can visit the Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden, enjoy cycling, hiking, 4×4 safari game drive, farmers markets, wine tours, golf and river cruises.

Festivals and Events in the Worcester Wine Region.

Amongst others, guests to the Worcester area can enjoy the following.

• Breede Valley Parkrun
• Pure Boland Market
• Pioneer School MTB Race
• Breede River Canoe Marathon
• NID Trail Run
• Coffee Festival
• Outdoor Hip Hop Festival
• Mountain Mill Craft Beer Festival

We look forward to host you in Worcester soon.