During summer in Cape Town, everything comes alive: the mountain glows a brilliant green, the azure skies sing with cheerful birds, the seas dance with surfers and swimmers and even the nightclubs blossom with a multitude of foreign booze-seekers. So it’s no wonder that this happens to be the time that the Cape Winelands’ vineyards are at their ripest and readiest too, spilling over with plump grapes waiting to be plucked and blended.

To pay homage to this period of plenty, the region’s many award-winning wine farms – and there are many ­– host vibrant harvest festivals that, like the traditional celebrations of past, give thanks for the year’s yield and rejoice in the abundance of fruit that was reaped. These lively, family-friendly soirees typically feature stomping contests, blending workshops, food markets, pairing sessions, cellar tours, live music and more.

In short, they’re the sort of fiestas you don’t want to miss out on. So, to make sure you don’t pass up the opportunity, and to ensure you have the liveliest Mother City summer possible, we’ve gathered together a rundown of some of the top, most memorable harvest festivals in the Cape Winelands below. From interactive jubilees in Robertson to delicious fruity feasts in Durbanville, this guide includes options for infants and elders, casual drinkers and connoisseurs.

2016 WINE HARVEST FESTIVALS IN THE CAPE WINELANDS

Stellenbosch Wine Festival (5 – 7 February 2016)
In 2016, the ever-popular Stellenbosch Wine Festival again brings all the festivities together under one roof at the Coetzenburg Sports Ground. The main event, which runs from Friday, 5 to Sunday, 7 February 2016, will feature vino from around 80 different Stellenbosch farms, a Gourmet Lane that’s dotted with the stalls of top local restaurants, a number of food and wine pairing experiences and a fun grape stomping ground. What’s more, there will be live music performed by acclaimed South Africa artists Karen Zoid, BlackByrd, Kurt Darren and Ard Matthews. Visitors can also look forward to a harvest parade through the streets, a golf challenge, the 5-km Pick ‘n Pay women’s walk and a 17-km mountain bike ride. Do note: individual wine estates – there are over 148 in total in the area – will still also host their own unique activities throughout the three days, so be sure to check the respective farm websites for more details on these.
Tickets: Tickets for the main event can be purchased from Webticket.co.za and cost R180 for adults. Entry is free for children under the age of 18. Individual events at the various wine farms must be bought from the farms themselves and prices vary depending on the activity.
Coetzenburg Sports Ground | Coetzenburg Road | Stellenbosch | +27 (0) 21 426 5775