There is something about our wine farms that sparks a natural curiosity. People rarely leave a South African wine farm talking only about the wine. Questions about the architecture or the families who have worked the land for decades are inspired by the buildings and surroundings of the estate. Visitors want to know who built the old cellar or how one generation passed its knowledge on to the next. It is the guides, sommeliers, owners and managers who bring these stories to life, adding another layer to the experience of visiting a wine farm.

Marisah Nieuwoudt, Wine Tourism Manager at South Africa Wine, believes these human-centred stories are what visitors, especially international travellers, remember most.

“Visitors are looking for authentic stories that reveal the people, history and sense of place behind each wine farm. Those stories help transform a tasting into a memorable experience, and storytelling remains one of South Africa’s greatest strengths as a wine tourism destination.”

Many estates have carefully preserved their original farm buildings while adapting them for modern use. Visitors walk through them, dine in them, taste wine in them and experience a tangible connection to the farm’s history. It is this history that offers something that cannot easily be reproduced or bought: authenticity. Every farm has followed its own path and left its mark through the decisions and traditions of each family and the workers who contribute to its uniqueness. That is one of the reasons so many people return to South Africa’s wine regions.

Wine tourism also encourages travellers to spend more time exploring these regions, supporting local restaurants, accommodation providers and other tourism businesses while building a lasting connection with individual estates. Many visitors combine wine experiences with local markets, museums, hiking trails, art galleries and cultural attractions. As they move through different towns and valleys, they discover that each region has its own character and history, often staying an extra day or planning a return visit.

“Wine tourism is an important economic driver for our industry. Increasingly, international travellers explore our wine regions through both wine and food, discovering the history, cultures and traditions that make each destination distinct. Together, they tell the story of South Africa in a way that neither could on its own,” says Marisah.

Wine will always be at the heart of a visit, but heritage gives people another reason to return.

Food is an equally important expression of this living heritage. Across the Winelands, visitors encounter recipes, ingredients and culinary traditions shaped by Indigenous knowledge, Cape Malay influences, European settlers and contemporary South African creativity. Paired with locally produced wines, these experiences reveal how heritage continues to evolve rather than simply being preserved.