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The lake at the Spier Wine Estate, Stellenbosch. Photo by Amanda Gillespie –

Top 10 Facts about Spier Wine Farm (Stellenbosch)

It sometimes seems like there are more wine farms in the Cape Winelands than there are blades of grass in the Serengeti. So it can be tricky to stand out as something different from the vast offering of beautiful views, delicious wine, and slick restaurants.

Yet Spier does just that. Spier Wine Farm has some distinct advantages. It鈥檚 one of the oldest farms in South Africa with an estate large enough to farm vegetables, beef, and chickens, as well as wine. Spier鈥檚 chickens produce 4,000 eggs a day.

1. Spier Wine Farm is environmentally-conscious

The lake at the Spier Wine Estate, Stellenbosch. Photo by Amanda Gillespie –

More than its award-winning wine and unique activities it offers, it鈥檚 the environmentally-conscious and vibrant energy that distinguishes Spier.

Spanning 620 hectares, the farm consists of a 153-room hotel, a conference center, three restaurants, a winery, and a farming operation.

2. Spier Wine Farm is situated in South Africa

Stellenbosch Harvest Parade, 25 January 2014 (this photo was taken at the intersection of Dorp Street and Mill Street). Photo by Helen Online –

Spier Wine Farm is situated in South Africa’s most famous Wineland destination; Stellenbosch, Cape town. Award-winning wines & world-class accommodation, just 20 minutes from Cape Town International Airport.

3. The diverse range of rich work at Spier Wine Farm is rotated on an annual basis

Bijgebouwen bij landhuis. Onderwerp: Landhuizen, bijgebouwen. Photo by Elliott, A.E. –

Spier’s claim to art fame is that it has one of the most extensive collections of contemporary art in South Africa. The diverse range of rich work is rotated on an annual basis to keep the spaces fresh and alive.

4. Spier has its art academy in Cape Town, South Africa

The lake at the Spier Wine Estate, Stellenbosch. Photo by Amanda Gillespie –

Spier also has its art academy in Cape  Town, offering employment-based professional mosaic training. More than 140 apprentices have joined the academy since its inception in 2008.

The Spier Art Academy runs an exciting project called Creative Block in which artists produce work on standard wooden blocks. The best works are immediately bought from the artist before being sold to collectors worldwide.

5. Spier Wine Farm has extraordinary activities

Panantonis winery. Photo by Elgaard –

Spier鈥檚 list of activities is as long as the Eerste River passes through the wine estate. Guests can enjoy a pre-booked picnic on the lawn next to the river under shady trees, or create their picnic at their new Spier Farm Kitchen on the Werf.

Enjoy wholesome food fresh from the farm can be enjoyed at Eight Restaurant. Award-winning wine can be tasted with delectable treats on the banks of the dam, and there are several more adventurous things to do, too.

There are walks such as the River Walk, which takes walkers past a large variety of proteas on the farm, and a vineyard tour on Segways, which combines a beautiful glide through the farm with a load of interesting facts about the estate.

The children will love Eagle Encounters, a bird-of-prey rehabilitation, and conservation project. There are over 100 birds of prey and over 20 different types of raptors. Visitors can hold tame birds, as well as watch and participate in the daily flying display.

6.  Spier is one of the oldest farms in South Africa

The Tashkent Winery Enterprise of the Heirs of Nikolai Ivanovich Ivanov. Photo unattributed –

Spier is one of the oldest farms in  South Africa, with a recorded history dating back to 1692. A symbol of this proud heritage is the farm鈥檚 unique architectural feature: an unrivaled 21 Cape Dutch historic gables.

To delve into this history, visitors can go on the Heritage Walk, which combines a beautiful amble through nature with some interesting facts. The walk takes guests past some of the historic buildings such as the 1822 Manor House and South Africa鈥檚 oldest dated wine cellar.

7. Spier Wine Farm produces some delicious wines

Winery, Sirromet Winery, Mount Cotton, 2014. Photo by Kerry Raymond –

Well, we are in the  Winelands after all, and Spier produces some delicious wines. The tasting room sits on the banks of the popular Spier dam, with stunning views of the Helderberg Mountains.

There are wine tastings paired with seasonal food, grape juice tasting for kids, and, my personal favorite, the chocolate, and wine tasting. Inspired by their Spier Signature M茅thode Cap Classique and Spier Creative Block blends, the chocolatier has carefully crafted chocolates that complement and unlock nuanced flavors in each of the wines.

8. Guests are spoiled for choice when they are visiting Spier Wine Farm

Panantonis winery wine-tasting area. Photo by Elgaard –

When it comes to food at Spier, guests are spoiled for choice. There are four dining experiences to choose from. There鈥檚 the flagship, farm-to-table Eight Restaurant, where natural and organic ingredients are combined to create an exciting menu.

There are popular picnics available from the Spier Farm Kitchen, which are prepared according to the same principles as Eight Restaurant and can be enjoyed on the lawn next to the dam. There is also the Spier Hotel Restaurant, which is perfect for elegant a la carte dining.

Also on the Werf is the Hoghouse BBQ & Bakery, a lip-smackingly good smokehouse that slow cooks grass-fed beef, pork, lamb, and free-roaming chicken. They have a machine called 鈥淭he Hog,鈥� which smokes meats the low-and-slow way for up to 16 hours.

9. A spirit of conservation and sustainability runs through everything at Spier

Stonyfell vineyards – horsedrawn carts bringing the grapes for crushing, c.1920, in the Adelaide foothills east of the city. Photo unattributed –

A spirit of conservation and sustainability runs through everything they do at Spier. Whether it鈥檚 sourcing organic and local ingredients for their restaurants or working towards uplifting the local communities in a myriad of ways, it鈥檚 all and always about giving back and helping to create a world that is sustainable as well as beneficial for all.

This rings true through the Spier experience and is their singular driving force.

Spier has been recognized by Cond茅 Nast Traveler, WWF, Fair Trade in Tourism, and the African Responsible Tourism Awards for their enlightened environmental policies. Of all the projects, the Tree-preneurs is my favorite!

This fantastic initiative encourages people in impoverished communities to grow trees in exchange for essential goods.

Spier鈥檚 environmental and social initiatives are many and include ways to reduce water usage. 100% of its wastewater and more than 95% of its solid waste is recycled. The estate also supports entrepreneurs by helping them create micro-enterprises linked to Spier.

10. Spier is one of the best places for families in the Winelands

Sandbanks Estate Winery. Photo by Shannon McGee from Huntsville, USA –

Spier is one of the best places for families in the Winelands. They have a kids鈥� playroom to keep them entertained throughout the day and the accommodation also caters perfectly to families. Of course, there are all the other aspects we鈥檝e already mentioned too, like Eagle Encounters, the picnics, and the grape juice tastings.