Groot Constantia

Groot Constantia have recently renovated their tasting room. It is a lot more modern and welcoming. This is a great winery stop if you are doing the Cape Town City Sightseeing red bus. Flagship wines to try would be their Sauvignon Blanc for whites and their Gouverneurs Reserve for reds. They conduct hourly cellar tours so enquire upfront. I personally love sitting outside but the inside is lovely too on a rainy or windy day.

The property s absolutely beautiful, and historied. Definitely worth some pictures.
However, there are far better options for actual wine in the area—the whites we tried were almost undrinkable, the reds only slightly less so. I threw my Chardonnay out a window when the staff’s back s turned as it tasted of chemicals.
I can’t imagine how any of this wine received an award. It s so chemical-flavored, alcohol-forward, and poorly crafted. It tasted of harsh additives. There’s no y the ‘Chardonnay’ tasted of Worther’s Original butterscotch so strongly without additives.
Context: For the last twenty years I’ve traveled the world drinking wines, learned about viticulture, and collected wines as an enthusiastic oenophile. I believe the best wine is the wine one enjoys, whether it comes from a grocery store or the most expensive winery. I’ve drank wines from $5-$1000+ per bottle, and I can say that Groot’s chemical slosh is not something I’d nt to bring home to anyone I care about.
Go for the beautiful grounds, the charming architecture, and the delicious country air, but avoid the wine unless you’d like to de-grease an engine with it.

We did the wine tasting and had such a great time. Our Sommelier s very knowledgeable and knew exactly what suited my pallet. With the Hop on Hop off buses it s a breeze. The history and the surroundings are exceptional well worth the visit.

Groot Constantia is an absolutely wonderful place to visit, and it truly is one of the most special spots in Cape Town. It holds the distinction of being the oldest wine estate in South Africa, and you can feel that history and heritage in every part of the estate. From the moment you arrive, you are greeted by rolling vineyards, majestic old oak trees, and the beautiful Cape Dutch-style buildings that give the estate its timeless charm. It really makes for a peaceful and scenic experience.
The wine at Groot Constantia is exceptional. The tastings are thoughtfully arranged, and the staff are knowledgeable, friendly, and genuinely enthusiastic about sharing their love for the estate’s wines. One of the nicest touches is that you get to keep a small souvenir glass, which makes the experience feel even more special.
The restaurant on the estate is another highlight. The food is excellent, the portions are generous, and the service is rm and attentive. Dining outdoors under the shade of the trees, with a glass of the estate’s wine in hand, is a truly delightful experience that lingers in your memory. It is the kind of place where you can relax, take in the scenery, and feel completely immersed in the beauty of the surroundings.
My third visit here and it is still great.Wine tasting is around R170.

The wine tasting s booked for a group. We were greeted well and welcomed ro our table. We were given individual wine glasses and there s option of juice for those not taking wine. We were also given chocolates which would be paired with the five wines presented.
Our first wine educator who seemed to also be busy serving other clients s rude and standoff-ish. He would pour the wine and lk off to serve others. Whereas the experience we paid for s to learn about the wines and also the different chocolate pairings. After complaining about being neglected, we were given a different wine educator who did an exceptional job. The first wine educator soured the experience and even the free glasses given at the end of the testing, we later learnt, were almost forgotten. To save the experience we took wonderful pictures of the estate.

Great outing. Lovely scenic lks through the vineyards. Go and experience quality wines, especially Groot Constantia Reserve

Fun wine tasting experience. We didn't do the tour but enjoyed the wine tasting. They were so busy when we arrived but Robin s kind when selling us tickets. Phumeza offered us a nice place to sit during all the hectic-ness of arriving and people trying to 'get in'. Cade offered the wines in a courteous manner.
We then went to the Jonkershuis resturant and loved the salad - the best ingredients we've expereniced in all of Cape Town. The cheese plate s so yummy too! Nathan s our server and the kindest person we've met all day! He and the yummy salad will be the reasons we come back!
Nice to visit overall with open and beautiful views too.

Five stars. And here’s why five actually means five.
Some reviews say “excellent experience” and then quietly give four stars. I’ve never quite understood that.
Groot Constantia is exactly what it promises: historic, grounded, generous, and beautifully run. The setting is timeless, the wines are superb without pretension, and the experience feels unhurried which, frankly, is the point.
We first came here on our honeymoon 14 years ago, and returning now reminded us why this place endures. It doesn’t chase trends. It does what it does exceptionally well, and with care.
Service s rm and knowledgeable, the grounds immaculate, and the atmosphere calm in a y that invites you to stay longer than planned.
If you’re looking for loud spectacle or gimmicks, this might not be for you.
If you’re looking for excellence done quietly and consistently this is a five-star experience. Also you can either Uber in or catch the On Off city bus experience to get here.
And yes, five stars means five stars.

I had a really nice experience at Groot Constantia. The estate is beautiful with great views and a relaxing atmosphere. The wine tasting s enjoyable and the staff were friendly and knowledgeable. It’s a great place to spend an afternoon — I’d definitely recommend it to anyone visiting the area.

This historic place is sadly poorly kept and not the world class place it used to be. Their once beautiful ter ponds is now almost empty with rotten content, leaving a foul smell in the surrounding area. The renowned SIMON restaurant (which is heavily overpriced, probably to exploit tourists) is situated near this smelly area.
Their museum is fairly stocked with time-relevant furniture and appliances. Unfortunately the furniture is not well kept. Wood furniture needs to be maintained with furniture oil, or it will dry out and perish. The furniture is superficially cleaned, but covered in dust wherever it is somewhat difficult to reach.
In between the antique furniture are cheap (purple) plastic chairs, mostly occupied by staff. For some reason unknown to me, visitors are not allowed to take photos inside.
Most of the grounds are relatively clean, and garden workers are clearly working hard, but frankly, they are mis-managed. The first area you see when entering the estate is dirty. There are weeds and rubbish (plastic bags and bottles) lying scattered. There is also dirt near and around (and inside) the filthy ponds.
Toilets are clean.
Outdoor restaurant has chairs that have dirty wooden slats - unkept and penetrated by ter and mould. Didn’t nt to sit for the fear of getting “zebra marks” on our clothes.
In summary - one of the most beautiful sites, with the potential to be a South African jewell, managed poorly.
When we left, we found a “security” guard sitting and looking down, browsing on his . No respect, no greeting, no situational awareness…