Overview
About Non-Drinkers Winelands Tour
This tour works especially well for mixed groups. Wine-drinkers in your party still get their private tastings; non-drinkers get grape-juice pairings, chocolate flights, cheese pairings or coffee tastings at the same table. Nobody feels left out, and nobody has to drive.
Estates that do this really well include Delheim (grape juice and cheese pairings), Waterford (chocolate-and-wine — non-drinkers can do the chocolate flight without the wine), Babylonstoren (garden walks, farm-shop, chef's tour, non-alcoholic garden pairings), Spier (raptor centre, gardens, farm lunch) and Boschendal (farm-shop, gardens, picnic hampers). Wanderer picks the roster based on which non-drinkers are in the group and why (pregnant, teetotal, driving, medical, faith-based) — no need to explain.
Even the tastings themselves can be non-alcoholic. Several estates now offer grape-juice pairings, non-alcoholic MCC alternatives, and educational sessions on wine-making that don't require you to drink. The Franschhoek Wine Tram can also be done non-alcoholically, with estates offering non-alcohol flights.
Lunch is the centrepiece. Cape Winelands restaurants — Werf at Boschendal, Pierneef à La Motte, Overture, Babylonstoren Greenhouse — are some of the best in South Africa, and they run beautifully for a food-focused day. Non-alcoholic pairings are available at all of them.
The whole day is private and chauffeured, so nobody has to decide who's driving. Everyone in your group can relax completely — drink, don't drink, doesn't matter. Wanderer handles chauffeur, estates, lunch, timing and any special requests.
This is one of Wanderer's most quietly popular tours. If you or someone in your party doesn't drink, don't skip the Winelands — just do them differently.