Whether you are a wine connoisseur or you just enjoy the ritual of sipping on a glass of wine while engaging in good conversation - the wine centre at Spier deserves a visit. Lounge outside, amidst the oak barrels at long wooden tables, or venture into the formal tasting room for a more educational tasting session.

Spier is one of the oldest wine farms in the Stellenbosch Winelands region. The first 200 vineyards were planted in 1692 by Arnoud Jansz, a German soldier in the service of the Dutch East India Company. Little did he know that that same vineyard would still be producing world renowned wines today.

Sustainability forms the cornerstone of Spier's ethos. As a result, Spier Wine Corporation goes to great lengths to produce ethical and environmentally-conscious wines. And they seem to be doing a good job of it: The Spier estate is the first wine estate in South Africa to be accredited by the Wine Industry Ethical Trading Organization (WIETA) and their wine range has reaped various awards and accolades both locally and internationally.

The wine centre at Spier - housed in a gabled barn dating back to 1856 - doesn't only sell the estate's own premier range of wines (Spier Discovery, Spier Classic and Spier Private Collection) but also sells more than 170 labels from the best vineyards across South Africa.

Relax outside and partake in the Spier Wine Tasting: Taste five wines from Spier's Discover and Classic ranges while a wine educator tells you about the different wines in Spier's portfolio and gives you an insight into the company's vision and ethos.

Those seeking a more in-depth tasting session can venture into the centre's tasting room for the Winelands Select tasting: Receive an introduction into the art of wine tasting while sampling 5 different wines from 5 different growing Cape regions.

Cheese and wine tastings are also available on request: Nibble on a selection of three cheeses paired with complimentary wines.

From December, the centre will boast two new tasting options: Bubbly Tastings and Food and Wine Tastings (where wine is paired with the food that will best complement it). Food and Wine Tastings will commence from 1 December every day at 1pm.

Tastings can be conducted in English, German and Afrikaans and are performed daily between 10h00 and 16:30*, but after-hour tastings can also be arranged under special circumstances.

*Times are subject to change

Molo says: "Read more about the Village Hotel at Spier; Spier's restaurants; the Cheetah Outreach project and Eagle Encounters at Spier. Also discover other unique things to do in the Winelands. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more Winelands news and events".