View through vine rows to a mountain peak in red evening light

Grape variety · Red

Shiraz

Evening in Tulbagh: the sun has dropped behind the Obiqua mountains, and the horseshoe-shaped basin cools quickly. WOSA calls the valley a cold trap. Shiraz does well here anyway.

According to WOSA, Tulbagh has two strengths, and one of them is Shiraz. At Saronsberg a fire on 2 September 2003 destroyed almost all the orchards and vineyards; Nick van Huyssteen replanted 50 hectares and built a cellar the same year. Today Saronsberg makes Rhône-inspired wines, Shiraz first among them. WOSA describes wines from the grape as deep purple, smoky and spicy, gaining complexity with age.

of South Africa's vineyards, SAWIS, as of 31 December 2025
9.4%
of Shiraz nationwide
8,103 ha
in the Paarl statistical region, more than anywhere else
1,970 ha
maximum share of Viognier that may be added
20%

SAWIS counts 8,103 hectares of Shiraz in South Africa at the end of 2025, 9.4 per cent of the vineyard area; in 2018 it was 10.2 per cent. The Paarl statistical region with Franschhoek and Wellington has the most, 1,970 hectares. Behind it come the Swartland (1,869), Stellenbosch (1,306), Robertson (859) and Breedekloof (680). Up to 20 per cent Viognier may be added. WOSA sees blends that put Shiraz together with Grenache, Mourvèdre and Viognier on the rise. Shiraz or Syrah on the label means the same grape; the spelling is taken as a hint at the style.

Fairview in Suider-Paarl has also turned to Rhône varieties. La Motte in Franschhoek writes Syrah on its labels. In the Robertson Valley, Shiraz is the most widely planted grape at Viljoensdrift, and Excelsior near Ashton bottles a Paddock Shiraz. Leopard's Leap suggests Italian food, wood-fire grilled meat and strong hard cheese with Shiraz.

Our tipSaronsberg has no restaurant and does not allow picnics, and on Sundays it opens only from 10am to 1pm. Its website contradicts itself on booking: once it says always, once only for groups of more than eight. Book ahead to be safe (as of September 2026).

Shiraz to order

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Shiraz: frequently asked questions

Is Syrah the same as Shiraz?

Syrah and Shiraz are the same grape. In South Africa the spelling is taken as a hint at the style; La Motte in Franschhoek, for example, writes Syrah on its labels.

Where does South Africa grow the most Shiraz?

South Africa's largest Shiraz plantings are in the Paarl statistical region, which SAWIS counts with Franschhoek and Wellington: 1,970 hectares as of 31 December 2025. The Swartland and Stellenbosch follow.

What food goes with Cape Winelands Shiraz?

Leopard's Leap in Franschhoek suggests Italian food, meat grilled over a wood fire and strong hard cheeses with its Shiraz.