A special highlight of the wine-growing region is the Wine Route, which runs through the Greater Simonsberg, Stellenbosch Mountain, Helderberg, Stellenbosch Hills and Bottelary Hills sub-regions. The lovely hill country is one of the most scenic areas in South Africa with over 17,000 hectares of vines. Here, the vines grow on sandy soil in the west and on weathered granite in the east.

The climate, influenced by the nearby Atlantic Ocean, is particularly well suited for red wine varieties. Stellenbosch is therefore considered the red wine region of South Africa. The main red wine varieties grown here are Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz/Syrah, Merlot, Pinotage, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. However, with sufficient rainfall in the summer months, white wine grapes such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Colombard and Sémillon also thrive well.

Some of the best known wineries in the Stellenbosch area include Alto Estate, Beyerskloof, Boekenhoutskloof, Clos Malverne, Delaire, De Toren, De Trafford, Distell, Dornier, Eikendal, Ernie Els, Ken Forrester, Fairview Estate, Grangehurst, Hartenberg Estate, Idom Wines, Kanonkop Estate, Le Bonheur Wine Estate, Morgehhof, Mulderbosch, Neil Ellis, Stark-Condé, Stellenbosch Vineyards, Thelema Mountain, Tokara, Uiterwyk Estate, Vegenoegd Wine Estate, Waterford, Welmoed, Zevenwacht and Zonnebloem.