Walk the Spier Farm: Hotel

Spier is one of the oldest wine farms in South Africa with a recorded history dating back to 1692. While rooted in this heritage, Spier has a vibrant and conscious energy. Award-winning wine can be paired with fabulous food, grown either on the farm or by nearby farmers. The winery is one of the most awarded in the country and the Spier Hotel and meeting facilities offer inspiring winelands getaways in the tranquility of nature. Spier is committed to doing the right thing for the environment and communities, and is renowned for its responsible tourism approach. The farm has been recognised by various external organisations including Fair Trade in Tourism (FTTSA) and the Wine Industry Ethical Trade Association (WIETA). In 2011, Condé Nast Traveler World Saver Award recognised the estate as the top international destination ‘Doing it All’. Spier is a Champion member of the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative (BWI), and the cellar has ISO 22000 certification, is Fair Trade accredited, organically certified and follows the Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) criteria. Spier’s environmental and social initiatives are many and varied, and include ways to reduce water usage. 100% of its wastewater, and over 80% of its solid waste, is recycled. Spier supports local communities through the treepreneur project, which encourages people in impoverished communities to grow trees in exchange for essential goods. The estate also supports entrepreneurs by helping them create micro-enterprises linked to Spier.

Begin this tour at the entrance to Spier Hotel. You reach this by following the signs to the hotel when you reach the entrance to Spier farm on the R310 (Baden Powell Drive) just outside of Stellenbosch. There is ample parking right next to the hotel.