The best Autumn wine festivals in the Cape

On 25 April – the start of a long weekend! – the Agulhas Wine Triangle Harvest Festival takes place at Lomond Wine Estate near Gansbaai, offering a good reason to look beyond the usual routes through the Winelands.

Now in its 11th year, the festival brings together producers from this cool-climate coastal region for a day of tastings, food and kuier around one of the Cape’s most distinctive wine-growing areas.

The Agulhas Wine Triangle is known for wines shaped by maritime influence and cooler conditions, and this festival leans into that regional identity. These are wines with a sense of place, and if you’d rather discover producers in a more intimate setting than work your way through a large-format event this is a great choice. Participating wineries include: Black Oystercatcher, Ghost Corner Wines, Land's End, Lomond, Lost Boy Wines, Raka, Skipskop Wines, Sijnn, Strandveld Vineyards, The Berrio, The Drift Estate, The Giant Periwinkle, and Zoetendal Vineyards.

The festival runs from 10am to 4pm, and while you could do it in a day, it’s a much better option as a weekend escape.

Need to know:

• Tickets cost from R250pp
• Book your tickets online via Quicket
• Find a place near Gansbaai to stay on Airbnb

If you don’t feel like heading out of town, the Pick n Pay Wine & Food Festival returns to Cape Town on the same weekend – 25-26 April 2026 – taking over Claremont Cricket Club in Constantia for a delicious weekend of food and wine tasting.

The festival combines a large line-up of wine producers with food stalls and a more social, high-energy atmosphere than the smaller varietal-led festivals. Tickets include a tasting glass and 20 wine tokens, which can be used across the various tasting stands, making it easy to dip in and try a broad cross-section of wines over the course of the afternoon.

Need to know:

• Tickets cost from R350pp
• Book your tickets online via Webtickets
• Coming from out of town? Find a place to stay in Constantia

Drink Chenin Day lands at Cavalli Wine Estate in Somerset West on 13 June 2026, bringing together more than 20 producers for a one-day celebration of South Africa’s best-known white grape. Hosted by the Chenin Blanc Association, the event runs from 10am to 4pm and pairs tastings with food vendors, live music and one of the easiest Winelands locations to reach from Cape Town.

Tickets include tastings and a branded glass, making this a relaxed but well-curated way to spend a Saturday, with Cavalli’s mountain views and immaculate estate adding to the polish. If you want a wine festival that feels seasonal without requiring a major road trip, this is a great option. 

Need to know:

• Tickets cost R350pp
• Bookings will go live soon via Quicket
• Mak a weekend of it! Find a cottage nearby

The Chardonnay Festival takes place at De Wetshof Estate in Robertson on 16 May, with more than 30 producers pouring South African Chardonnay over the course of the day. Set against the limestone-rich hills of De Wetshof, a family-owned Chardonnay star of the Breede River Valley it’s a focused celebration of a grape that has become one ofSA’s signature white wine categories.

Expect a broad spread of styles, from crisp and mineral to barrel-fermented expressions, with producers including Ataraxia, Babylonstoren, Cavalli, Creation, Glen Carlou, Iona, Jordan, Klein Constantia, Newton Johnson, Paul Clüver, Springfield, Tokara and more.

The festival runs from 10am to 4pm and the ticket includes unlimited tastings, a tasting glass, lunch from On Shore Eatery and a live performance by Watershed. Masterclass tickets are also available at extra cost, and there’ll be an opportunity to buy wine on the day.

Need to know:

• Tickets cost from R2000
• Book tickets for the Chardonnay Festival online here
• Find a place to stay near Robertson on Airbnb