Skilpadvlei Wine Farm

In the Polkadraai Hills just outside Stellenbosch, Skilpadvlei Wine Farm takes its name from the legendary colony of tortoises once found in the vlei on the property in the 1800s. The Joubert family has farmed this land since 1917, and today fourth-generation wine farmer Willie Joubert upholds the proud family tradition of harnessing the rich potential of the soil with a dedicated commitment to quality.

The farm spans seventy-eight hectares, sixty of which are under vine. Skilpadvlei is a fully operational working farm that grows its own grapes and produces its own wines. The consistency and quality of the fruit is reflected in the fact that Skilpadvlei also supplies grapes to respected external producers, a mark of trust in the viticultural standards maintained by the Joubert family across four generations.

Skilpadvlei's wine range offers outstanding value, with bottles priced under R200 and a portfolio that includes Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinotage Rose, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage, Shiraz, and the ML Joubert blend. The Chenin Blanc is a crowd favourite, with apple and honeysuckle tones, a tropical fruit nose, and a refreshing finish. The Merlot sees twelve months in French oak, developing aromas of blackberry and plum. The ML Joubert is a Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend that anchors the premium end of the range.

What truly distinguishes Skilpadvlei from its neighbours on the Polkadraai Road is the wine and cheesecake pairing. Four wines are matched with four different flavours of home-baked cheesecake, from fresh kiwi paired with the Sauvignon Blanc to dark chocolate with blackcurrant jelly matched with the ML Joubert blend. It is one of Stellenbosch's most talked-about tasting experiences and has drawn visitors to this family farm who might otherwise have driven past.

Accommodation ranges from seven self-catering cottages along the dam to eleven bed-and-breakfast rooms in the manor house, making Skilpadvlei a genuine base for exploring the broader Stellenbosch wine region. The estate also operates as a wedding and function venue with no venue hire fee, a rare offering in the Winelands. A restaurant on the farm serves hearty fare to accompany the wines, and the Polkadraai Road location puts guests within easy reach of Stellenbosch town, the Blaauwklippen Valley, and the broader winelands.

Skilpadvlei is not chasing wine-industry fashion. It is a working Stellenbosch farm where four generations of Jouberts have focused on honest viticulture, good-value wines, and a warmth of welcome that makes first-time visitors feel like regulars.