Elgin Valley

The N2 climbs Sir Lowry's Pass out of the Cape Flats and comes out on a plateau at around three hundred metres that is a different climate entirely - cooler, wetter, with a real winter chill - and for most of the twentieth century that made Elgin the apple and pear basket of South Africa, supplying most of the country's deciduous fruit. Vines were planted seriously only from the 1980s, and the cool climate turned out to suit chardonnay, pinot noir, sauvignon blanc and riesling in ways the warmer valleys cannot manage; Elgin wines are leaner, higher in acid and increasingly the ones critics point to. The valley now mixes orchards, vineyards, cider makers and a good deal of walking and mountain biking in the surrounding fynbos mountains. The railway line through the valley carries a heritage service on some weekends, and the apple blossom in September is worth the timing.

What you actually see

• A cool plateau - a distinct climate three hundred metres above the coastal plain.
• Orchards and vines together - apples and pears alongside chardonnay and pinot noir.
• Leaner wines - higher acid and cooler fruit than the inland valleys.
• September blossom - the orchards in flower across the plateau.

When to go

September for blossom, February to April for harvest. A day or a weekend.

Honest expectations

Sir Lowry's Pass is often in cloud and the valley can be wet and cold. Estates are spread out and several need booking. It is quieter than the main winelands, which means fewer facilities. Winter is genuinely cold by South African standards.

Nearby

Hermanus is south-east; Somerset West is over the pass to the west.