The wine region is magnificent, the vines are hemmed in by the mountains and the French Huguenots who imported the vines here some 300 years ago also thought to bring along oak trees and lavender. The completely white-washed towns like Stellenbosch are very beautiful, the colonial architecture is very well conserved, with pretty oak-lined avenues everywhere.
I alternated visits to lovely estates for the scenery with ones to renowned wineries with high tech wine tasting rooms and panoramic views. I enjoyed losing myself in the less frequented vineyards around Robertson and Wellington where the landscape is grandiose and there are also many wineries that produce brandy (local cognac) and cheese.
These last are not as good as ours but they are nice to serve with full-bodied red wines, especially the famous pinotage, South Africa's own vine created from black pinot and cinsault.