Delaire Graff Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa

Where it is

The Helshoogte Pass links Stellenbosch with Franschhoek, and the estate sits near its crest, with the Banhoek Valley falling away below and the bulk of the Simonsberg opposite. It is roughly 45 minutes by road to central Cape Town and about 40 to the airport, which makes it an easy first or last stop on a South African trip.

Lodges

Accommodation is 16 lodges plus an Owner's Villa with four bedrooms. The standard lodges have one bedroom, at about 70 square metres, each with its own heated plunge pool; the Presidential Lodges have two bedrooms and look straight at the Simonsberg. Expect bold contemporary interiors, with pieces from the art collection on the walls.

Food, wine, spa and art

You can eat at Delaire Graff Restaurant or at Indochine, which leans towards Asia, and try the estate's wines in its tasting room. Staff can arrange vineyard walks, cellar visits and days out in Franschhoek or Cape Town.

The spa runs five treatment suites, with a heated pool looking at the mountains. Art is everywhere, much of it South African, and there are boutiques and a jewellery salon. Delaire Graff belongs to Relais & Châteaux.

The moment

Late afternoon on your own terrace with a glass from the estate's cellar, the mountains glowing amber across the valley. Then a dip in your warm private pool as shade creeps up the vineyards.

Why we chose it

Delaire Graff does everything well, from the food and wine to the spa, the art and the lodges themselves, and the mountains are always in view. It is a perfect finale to a South African journey, or a base for a slow week in the Winelands.

Pair it with the rock art and starry skies of Bushmans Kloof, or start with the gorillas at Bisate Lodge and end here.

When to go

The estate is open all year. The Cape summer, from November to March, brings warm, dry days, with the harvest from around February to April. The busiest weeks are the South African and European school holidays over Christmas and New Year.

Autumn, in April and May, is the sweet spot for travellers with flexible dates: golden vines, mild days and fewer visitors. June to August is the Cape winter: rainier and cooler, with snow sometimes dusting the higher peaks, but the fires are lit and prices are at their kindest.

The longer stay

Give the Winelands at least four nights, with days for Franschhoek, a wine tour, the spa and a trip into Cape Town. For a three-week South African journey, combine Cape Town, the Cederberg and the Garden Route, or fly north for a safari.