Durbanville Hills Winery

High on the Tygerberg hills, just twenty minutes from Cape Town's city centre, Durbanville Hills Winery commands one of the most arresting views in the Cape winelands. From its terrace, visitors look out across vine-clad slopes to the sweep of Table Bay and the unmistakable silhouette of Table Mountain. It is a setting that manages to feel both urban-accessible and genuinely rural — a rare combination in the Western Cape.

The winery was born in the late 1990s when seven Durbanville grape-farming families decided to pool their fruit and build a cellar together. Klein Roosboom, Ongegund, Hillcrest, Maastricht, Morgenster, Bloemendal, and Hooggelegen were the founding members, later joined by Welbeloond and De Grendel. The first vintage was crushed in 1999 under the guidance of cellar master Martin Moore, who had been appointed the previous year while the building was still under construction. Moore shaped the house style for over two decades until his passing in May 2023. His legacy endures through the winemaking team he built: cellar master Pieter-Niel Rossouw now leads alongside white-wine specialist Kobus Gerber, red-wine specialist Wilhelm Coetzee, and winemaker Tammy Claasen.

The Durbanville ward's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean gives its vineyards a cool-climate advantage. Morning fog rolls in from False Bay, afternoon breezes sweep off the cold Benguela current, and the deep Swartland clay soils retain moisture through the dry summer months. The result is wines with natural acidity and restrained fruit — particularly expressive in Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Merlot.

The cellar's flagship is The Tangram, a limited-release red blend produced only in exceptional vintages. Below it sits the Collectors Reserve range — single-varietal wines named after Cape Town landmarks: The Castle of Good Hope Cabernet Sauvignon, The Lighthouse Merlot, The Promenade Pinotage, The High Noon Shiraz, and The Cape Garden Chenin Blanc. The Rhinofields range and a line of sparkling wines, including a Blanc de Blancs MCC, complete the portfolio.

Dining is central to the Durbanville Hills experience. The Tangram Restaurant has earned three Haute Grandeur Global Restaurant Awards, including Best South African Cuisine on a Global Level and Best Gourmet Cuisine in Africa. With panoramic views and a menu designed to complement the in-house wines, it is a destination restaurant in its own right. A more casual option is available at the Olive Grove Bistro, where guests can enjoy lighter fare on the lawn with views across the hillside vineyards.

Cellar tours run Monday to Friday at 11:00 and 15:00, and wine tastings can be paired with biltong, artisan cheeses, chocolates, or local sweet treats. The winery also serves as an events and wedding venue, recognised by Google as both a wedding venue and event venue alongside its core identity as a working farm and winery.