
Iona Wine Estate
A high-altitude Elgin estate on a plateau above the clouds — one of the coolest vineyard sites in the Cape.
Trip Role
Ideal stay
Our take
Cool-climate wine from the edge of where vines grow in SA.
Cool-climate wine from the edge of where vines grow in SA.
- Trip Role
- Worth a Detour
- Ideal Stay
- 2 hours
Why it's worth your time
High, cold, and making wine that tastes of it. The Sauvignon Blanc is the bottle to know; the drive up is part of the experience. A stop for people who want the Cape's edge.
What we love
The drive up through the apple orchards, then the view from the plateau.
What to know
One of the highest, coolest vineyard sites in the Cape (around 420m, often above the cloud line); the Sauvignon Blanc is the bottle that defined the site and the style.
More wine estate in Western Cape

AA Badenhorst Family Wines
A Swartland estate on a historic farm, making natural, unrestrained reds and whites.

Avondale
A biodynamic Paarl estate farming with ducks, horses, and a 'nature-first' philosophy.

Babylonstoren
A working farm with one of the Cape's most extraordinary gardens and a lunch worth the drive.

Beau Constantia
The highest estate in Constantia, with a glass-walled tasting room and the best valley view.

Boschendal
A vast, historic farm between Franschhoek and Stellenbosch — heritage buildings, gardens, and a working farm.

Bouchard Finlayson
A Hemel-en-Aarde estate specialising in Pinot Noir, with an accessible cellar-door tasting.