Wine Estates
There are numerous wine estates to visit if you are in the Riebeek West area. The Riebeek Valley is known for its fertile soil and vineyards line the roads to create a scenic drive in the surrounding area of the town. Be sure to make a stop at any of the following great estates:
Pulpit Rock Winery - This winery is 450ha of vineyards that include cultivars such as Pinotage, Shiraz, Chardonnay, Mourvedre and Petit Verdot. Their wines are exported internationally and visitors can sip wine while taking in the beautiful views of the Kasteelberg mountain.
Allesverloren Wine Estate - This is one of the oldest wine estates in the Swartland area and dates back to the 17th century. Their first sweet wine, Fine Old Vintage, is now the flagship wine of the estate. Visitors can taste a range of wines including Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tinta Barocca and Touriga Nacional.
Roundstone Wine Estate - This wine estate lies deep in the Swartland on the slopes of Kasteelberg. They are a small establishment and only produce around 8000 bottles of wine per year. The estate borders a nature reserve, so visitors have the opportunity to hike or spot birds before tasting wines like Shiraz and Merlot.
Hiking Trails
The Carl Thunberg hiking route is so named after the Swedish botanist who first scaled Kasteelberg in 1774, thus making him a key role player in the history of Riebeek Kasteel and Riebeek West. The hike follows his exact route up the Kasteelberg. You venture between vineyards and continue past a large wild olive tree to get to a series of rocky outcrops. The journey up the summit is fairly easy, and you’ll have great views of Table Mountain, the Piketberg and the Cederberg on a clear day.
The Pieter Cruythoff hiking trail is named after the leader of a group who was sent inland to explore the region. The hike starts at Bothmanskloof Pass where you will go upwards on the trail. You can then look out for a white footprint on a rock, where you can follow the route up the summit, where the views are excellent.