If there is any reason to pack just a carry on bag for a trip, this would be it. I brought back a whopping TWENTY-NINE bottles of wine back, with 17 in my checked luggage (thank you for allowing two 50-pound bags, British Airways!) and regret nothing haha.

I was very sad to only get to visit a handful of vineyards while in South Africa. I worked on trying whatever I could at lunch and dinner… and sometimes breakfast as a hopeless degenerate… just to get as many wines under my belt as possible.

The wine in South Africa is INCREDIBLE. I found that they excel at my favorite variety, bubbly, and also have a specialty in Pinotage, red blends, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Semillon, and Rose. The mountains, sun, and sea make the taste really stand out from other regions of the southern hemisphere. I gravitated toward bubblies, Sauvignon Blancs, and Pinotages.

Based on the wines I tried, advice from my wonderful, local South African friend’s knowledge, and the limited preferences of the group, I chose the below vineyards to visit:

1. Steenberg: One of the oldest vineyards in Constantia. They have my favorite all around bubbly in the world: the sparkling Sauvignon Blanc. This bubbly is so popular that the vineyard was sold out of it. I ended up getting some Rose as well so I didn’t look psycho. I don’t normally like Rose, but this was stellar stuff. They sell it by the glass and bottle at the top of Table Mountain in case you want to dabble in a fancy sunset!
2. Kanonkop: One of my girlfriends from Junior League raved about this spot, and although I’ve never had a Pinotage in my life, it quickly became my favorite red wine. I enjoyed the Paul Sauer and the 2015 Pinotage! They were only allowing 2 bottles per person of the 2015, and I wish I could’ve brought back a case more. There are still a few years to stock up before its optimal time in 2020.
3. Eikehof: Hands down the best vineyard of the day. They are very small, family owned, and have an ostrich. Yes, yes, and yes. Strolling the grounds and coming across an ostrich was a great moment in my life lol. The white wines were unlike anything I’ve ever had. Buttery, flavorful, and rich. My brother, a token red wine lover, even bought some bottles for himself. They also have a reserve wine from their oldest Semillon grape which is over 100 years old. In 2016, they only made 300 bottles of this. I had to sign for it, and my bottle is #153. I wish I bought more than one so I could save one for something special, but let my boyfriend try it before then. Regrets! If anyone goes to Cape Town soon I will pay you to grab me another!
4. Boschendal: Beautiful, large farm. The grounds are immaculate, they have snacks, and you can even get married there. They were less hands on in their tasting with us, and I missed that personal touch. However, the bubblies and Sauv Blanc are great and worth bringing back.
5. Solms Delta: I spent about 30 seconds running in to buy the Cape Jazz sparkling, red Shiraz at the recommendation of my local friend. They were closing unfortunately, but still let me purchase this rare little gem that only set me back $5. FIVE DOLLARS.

Places I would visit if I had more time:

• Colmant: yummy French style bubbly
• Warwick: Obama went here. Three Cape Ladies Cape Blend is very good! I found a bottle in Texas.
• Boekenhoutskloof: This name is ridiculous first of all. Second of all, their Chocolate Block wine (doesn’t taste like chocolate don’t worry) is a great red.
• Groot Constantia: Oldest vineyard in South Africa! Drove past the grounds and it looked like a dream.

Maybe I would also do one of these Franschhoek Winetram tours because it seems like a good time when your drinking is organized by someone else.

But Shaye, how the hell do I bring everything home!? Pack a soft case bag in your carry on. Vineyards and most wine shops sell these cardboard boxes with styrofoam cylinders inside. A lot of places will bubble wrap the bottles as well. Wrap clothes and towels and use any plastic bag you can grab. I stuffed the bag to the brim and I think that secured it more! Zero broken bottles.

What if I just want to buy this all when I get back?

BIG MISTAKE. HUGE. I spent at least 20 hours looking for all of the wines I love to no avail. Eikehof doesn’t even sell in stores in South Africa. Kanonkop has limited selection, is online only, and the Pinotages I’ve found run a pretty penny in the states. Boschendal is slightly easier to scope out online but costs a lot more.

When I went to Total Wine, I couldn’t find any of my favorites. Same thing with my local mom and pop wine shop that has a massive selection of international beer and wine. I did some research on why it’s so hard to find South African wine abroad, and deduced that because of apartheid, many countries shunned the region. Thankfully today, apartheid is no more, and there is a renaissance of sorts happening with cape wines.

The absolute best place to order from has to be Cape Ardor. Steenberg fulfilled my original order through them, and they have curated a top collection of South African vintages. When I couldn’t buy 7 bottles of sparkling Sauv Blanc directly from the vineyard, I did it through Cape Ardor and had it shipped to my door for nothing compared to the other $200-$400 shipping costs at other vineyards. I’ve now tried about 7 other wines from Cape Ardor and will continue giving them my business to pretend I’m back in CPT… sigh.

Which other vineyards do you recommend?