The power of regional collaboration
29 May, 2025 - Siubhan Wilcox
I’m fortunate to call the beautiful McLaren Vale home. Through my role as Chair of the Wine Tourism Commttee and Cellar Door Manager, I get to share my passion for this incredible region daily. I’m also proud to call the Cape Winelands home too – having grown up in Cape Town.
With a focus on wine tourism in both regions, I recently returned to the Cape as a wine tourism professional on a mission. Thanks to the Great Wine Capitals Outbound Bursary and Wines of South Africa, I was able to meet inspiring people, explore award-winning experiences, and gain an understanding of what makes this region a global leader in wine tourism.
I visited and explored 5 / 22 wine routes – Hemel-en-Aarde, Franschhoek Valley, Stellenbosch, Durbanville, and Constantia – visiting 20 cellar doors. I met with wine route leaders, winery owners, marketing teams, tasting room managers, and wine ambassadors. Their shared passion for delivering exceptional visitor experiences was clear, and I’ve returned with valuable insights to share.
The power of regional collaboration
I noticed that successful wine regions don’t just rely on individual excellence—they thrive when wineries come together around a shared identity, creating a unified voice that enhances their appeal and visitor experience. Each region I explored had its own unique way of working together, often tied to a signature variety, local culture, or regional story.
Hemel-en-Aarde: Celebrating place Through Pinot, Chardonnay, and Fynbos
The Hemel-en-Aarde – "Heaven and Earth" – collaboration is centred around a shared identity as a premium producer of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The 24 wineries have built a strong narrative through high-quality wines and storytelling that connects their success to the land, and their Premium Pinot Noir identity.
Every 2nd year, 14 wineries come together to host the ‘Celebration of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay’ event, featuring long-table lunches and winemaker-led masterclasses. This collaborative event not only champions the varietals but also strengthens the region’s wine tourism identity.
I visited 3 wineries that each showcased their connection between wine and landscape by combining the natural beauty of the surrounding fynbos into their guest experiences. I took part in a guided vineyard and fynbos walk at Bouchard Finlayson, explored the self-guided Fynbos Meander at Bosman Hermanus, and enjoyed a food and wine pairing at Creation Wines that incorporated fynbos into the menu and sensory elements. Each experience celebrated the local environment, highlighting the region's unique sense of place. It championed Pinot Noir and Chardonnay while highlighting the vital role of fynbos - indigenous flora that imparts distinct floral and herbal characteristics to the wines, creating flavours that are unique to the Cape Winelands.
Durbanville Wine Valley: A cool-climate collective connected by Sauvignon Blanc
I spent the day exploring the region with Wine Route Manager, visiting 4 wineries that each celebrate Sauvignon Blanc – the hero wine and unifying thread across the 11-member region.
At Durbanville Hills, I explored their Visitors Centre – a free, self-guided space designed to educate guests about the region's cool-climate wines, featuring an interactive map and informative displays. Although they don’t own vineyards, they’ve proudly partnered with local grape growers, their "grape-partners" – a relationship beautifully showcased through the centre’s engaging and educational exhibits.
Maastricht reflects its Dutch heritage by serving bitterballen, which complements their award-winning Top 10 Sauvignon Blanc and the collaborative regional wine, the 'Durbanville Sauvignon Blanc.
This collaborative wine is an association initiative that blends fruit from all 10 participating wineries to create a wine that proudly represents the valley. It’s launched at the annual Sauvignon Soirée – a celebration that reinforces the regions’ identity and reputation for Sauvignon Blanc. I may have brought some bottles home.
Franschhoek Valley Wines: A taste of elegance on the Cap Classique Trail
Franschhoek takes a lifestyle-driven approach, they have created their theme routes that showcase its cultural strengths. The Artisan, Art and the Cap Classique Route, which I is the route I explored, visiting 6 Cap Classique wineries. This experience beautifully combines wine, food, and culture, with each winery offering a distinctive Cap Classique tasting, often paired with paired bites.
Boschendal, Anthonij Rupert, and Haute Cabrière offer optional food pairings – Saldanha Bay oysters, artisanal nougat, and macarons.
La Lude and Colmant specialise in Cap Classique, highlighting their expertise through guided and educational tastings that focus on the art and science behind each wine.
Black Elephant takes a playful, relaxed approach, pairing wine with music and the stories behind their labels.
Stellenbosch: Bringing wine to the heart of town
While distances between wineries in Stellenbosch can be significant, they found a way to connect visitors with producers through the Summer Street Soirée series—lively 2-hour events that bring 25–30 wineries into the town centre to celebrate local wine, food, and music.
There are 150 wineries in the region, with just over half offering more than standard wine tastings. I visited Lanzerac, Delaire Graff, Jordan, and Vergenoegd Löw—each delivering destination-style experiences featuring luxury lodges, fine dining, vineyard safaris, curated activities, wine tastings, and breathtaking views.
I went to the February event, where around 3,000 ticket holders engaged with producers and sampled their wines. It was a fabulous evening and a fantastic way to make wine tourism more accessible—offering a vibrant snapshot of Stellenbosch’s wine scene in one place.
My journey to the Cape Winelands deepened my appreciation for regional collaboration in wine tourism. Each region blends local identity, champions wine varietals, and focuses on these elements to create memorable experiences. Returning to McLaren Vale, I'm inspired by the innovative ways these regions connect visitors to the land and their producers. By integrating these insights into South Australia’s wine tourism, I’m excited to continue sharing our region’s richness and elevate its global standing.
Siubhan was supported by the Great Wine Capitals Outbound Knowledge Exchange bursary program.
Photos: Siubhan Wilcox