Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened
Animals of all shapes and sizes and especially man’s best friend the faithful dog, have a special place in our hearts and lives. So, you can understand why animal lovers want to bring their furry friends with on a day out in our gorgeous Cape Winelands. Here are 10 wine farms that you can take your doggos with to soak up the sun, relax with a glass of wine in hand or nibble on a delicious platter.
Nitida is situated in the Durbanville Wine Valley and boasts not one, but two pet friendly restaurants with a wine tasting area and even some canon shooting. Their tasting room is situated inside the barrel maturation cellar and has a rustic and relaxed charm. Dogs are very welcome here at the tasting room and even outside at the restaurants. There are 3 tasting options available, and a fun kiddies tasting. At Cassia Restaurant you can sit on the deck for a delicious lunch or dinner. Then Tables at Nitida is a relaxed Family Bistro which is a favourite for breakfast and lunches, especially for those with children as they have a fantastic jungle gym and huge grass area to run around on. It’s just a happy place to be.
Nestled in the Golden Triangle in Stellenbosch, is the family owned Webersburg Wine Estate, originally called Groenerivier and established in 1693. They have an outside section under the huge oak trees, next to a big dam where you can sit and relax while the dogs run around and even swim. The panoramic views of the Helderberg mountains and the ducks happily swimming in the dam is just as impressive a sight, as the buffalo they have grazing in a nearby field. The lawn area is massive and ample space for kids and dogs to run around – both are welcome outside, but not in the restaurant.
They have 2 wine tastings options, and their restaurant offers a variety of mouth-watering cuisine. Otherwise, you can enjoy a yummy pizza or picnic under the trees or on the vast green lawns.
Warwick is well known for their picnics, with boxes fill of delicious goodies to enjoy. The picnic lawn, picnic benches or private picnic pods are fabulous. They also have a stunning forest courtyard with a canopy of oak trees. There are jungle gyms for the kids and even their “Fountain of Youth” to splash around in. If the weather is bad, they have a large indoor area with various lounge pockets and spaces to sit and relax while doing a tasting. There is a choice of 5 wine tastings, including a vegan pairing and Summer food and wine pairing.
Dogs are very welcome on a leash and they enjoy the picnic pods just as much as we do.
On the Southeast side of the Elgin Valley is where you will find South Hill Vineyards. They produce some wonderful cool climate wines and are both child and dog friendly. The King family rule the roost here and have made South Hill a sought-after wine farm, a romantic wedding venue and accommodation getaway.
The tasting area and restaurant are adorned with vibrant artwork and there are platters, tapas and daily blackboard specials, with 3 tasting options to choose from. They are a wonderful dog friendly farm, and make sure your hounds are hydrated with water bowls available too.
This chilled out and relaxing wine farm is the pretty Eagle’s Nest Estate in Constantia. Originally a part of the Groot Constantia estate, this boutique wine farm is home to mostly Shiraz, Viognier and Merlot with some of the steepest vineyards in the Cape Winelands.
Eagle’s Nest has a lovely big garden area with tables scattered all around, while shaded over by beautifully tall trees. You can bring your dogs with to run around as you do a tasting outside. There is 1 tasting available, as well as platters. Eagles’ Nest is super relaxed and ‘rustig’ and somewhere that you can unwind after a stressful week or meet up with family and friends over a bottle of wine while your fur-baby joins.
The gorgeous Lourensford Estate spans over 4000 hectares, with its beautifully manicured gardens and is home to fynbos, fruit orchids, a coffee roastery, mountain biking trails and clay pigeon shooting to name a few. Pooches are welcome here too!
You can wander and gaze upon the beautiful sculptures and art that adorn the estate or embrace your inner Picasso at Artjamming. Ghenwa’s culinary club offers cooking workshops, while The Millhouse Kitchen has delicious food. The Paddle Hub is a new addition that is sure you give you a great workout and some serious fun too. They have 5 wine tasting options and include a Premium tasting of 4 wines, a Belgian chocolate and wine pairing, a Vodka Pairing, a Turkish Delight Pairing and finally a Blind Tasting of 4 wines. Lastly, the vibrant Lourensford Market takes place every Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday day. It’s festive and fun with live music contributing to the atmosphere, and you will see many a pup happily running around.
The Franschhoek Valley is long well known for their award-winning wines, and one of these such farms that is dog friendly too, is the picturesque Allée Bleue. They have two tastings available, and you can either do these outside on their tree-shaded terrace overlooking the vineyards or inside next to the fire if the weather is bad.
Their Bistro has a variety of delicious foods for breakfasts and lunches, otherwise a platter for the not-so-hungry. As we move into Summer, a picnic is always a great idea, and Allée Bleue is an ideal setting to relax and enjoy the countryside with your fur-baby along for the ride.
One of the iconic farms steeped in history is Groot Constantia Estate with more than 300 years of being a non-profit company, which means that the farm does not belong to a private individual, but rather that it is conserved and protected as a Provincial Heritage site.
The Estate is vast with its rolling vineyards, wine museum and two restaurants. Jonkerhuis Restaurant reflects the rich Cape-Malay heritage, while Simon’s Restaurant offers the all-time favourites like Burgers or Fish and Chips. There are 3 tasting options available, and this lovely Estate is both child and dog friendly.
As Groot Constantia forms part of the Constantia Wine Route, you could take advantage of the City Sightseeing Cape Town Hop on Hop off Red Bus. How fun!
The Hermanus Wine Route is home to Benguela Cove, with its vineyards almost close enough to kiss the ocean. Perched on the edge of a lagoon, this venue is a distinct destination of unique wine-related experiences.
There is the Tea Terrace and Moody Lagoon Restaurant for food, Adventure Golf and Pontoon boat cruises available. Not to mention the oh-so many wine pairings. Everything from a blind-blending experience to a cheese or oyster and wine pairing. The building and tasting area is littered with beautiful art pieces and the decor is classy and sophisticated yet relaxing. This venue is super dog friendly all around the Estate.
Leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind and head to Bosmans Hermanus to take in the ‘champagne’ air with gorgeous mountain views and surrounds of the Cape’s floral fynbos. Their beloved Frame House is a wonderful, relaxed tasting venue where you can sample their 5 wines or have tasty tapas-style lunches.
Bosmans Hermanus has some fantastic hiking trails and outside areas, that your dogs can join in, but because of the many animals and ‘bokkies’ roaming around, they just request that your dog remains on a leash at all times. This peaceful Estate is a lovely way to enjoy a day out with family, friends and pooches in tow.
Being able to take your pups with on these adventures is fantastic, but there are a few things to remember when you visit these and other wine farms.
Keep your dogs on a leash unless indicated that you may let them off. Picking up after your dog is an absolute must, and always the right thing to do. Some of the farms provide water bowls for dogs, but it is a good idea to take your own as well. Have fun but be considerate of others, as not everyone loves dog kisses. I know my two had a ball at these farms, and I can’t wait to find more to explore. See you there!
We have more to learn from animals, than animals have to learn from us!