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Franschhoek · Western Cape

Eikehof

Eikehof is a wine farm in Franschhoek, Western Cape. About 68 km from Cape Town.

68 km from Cape Town
Eikehof
Photograph from the farm website

Eikehof: Family oak-tree tasting on the Franschhoek R45

Eikehof Wine Estate is a compact, family-owned cellar on the R45 west of Franschhoek village, near La Motte. The name means “oak court”: old oaks shade the tasting lawn with views toward the Drakenstein mountains. The Malherbe family has held the farm since 1903; today Francois Malherbe—presented on the official site as a fourth-generation winemaker working in the same cellar as his great-grandfather—and Elize host a welcoming, walk-in-friendly tasting room that rewards travellers who want a personal Franschhoek stop without a resort-scale complex.

Official pages: eikehof.com (home, wines, visit-us). Phone for visits: +27 83 232 6223.

Vineyards and wines to know

The estate works roughly 23 hectares of vines plus peach orchards. Six core varietals are listed: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay (unwooded), Semillon, Merlot, Shiraz, and Cabernet Sauvignon, plus a dry Rosé (Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc) and a fortified Cape Ruby labelled Grandpa’s 1942 Ford (Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, fortified to about 18% alcohol in a 375 ml format).

Eikehof’s standout heritage claim—repeated on the official wines page—is the oldest Semillon bush-vine block in South Africa, dated 1902. A separate Premium Bush Vine Semillon (2022 vintage described on site) is fermented and matured in French oak (300-litre barrel noted) with tiny production historically around 780 bottles. That bottle is the reason many wine-curious visitors put Eikehof on a Franschhoek list even when time is short.

Tastings: complimentary Rosé welcome verified

The official Wine Tasting & Platters page confirms a complimentary tasting of Eikehof Rosé as a warm welcome when you enter the tasting room—verify-on-site still applies if promotions change, but the claim is published on eikehof.com/wines as of this research.

Priced flights listed on the same official page (confirm on arrival):

  • 3 wines — R105
  • 4 wines — R130
  • 5 wines — select five from the range (price shown on site alongside other flights; confirm current figure at the counter)
  • 6 wines — R175 (taste across the range)
  • Cape Ruby tasting — R55
  • Premium tasting – Bush Vine Semillon — R150

Tastings are enjoyed under the oaks overlooking the mountains, with the owners and team sharing farm stories alongside the pours. This is a strong “slow Franschhoek” experience compared with high-volume pairing theatres.

Platters and Wine Tram access

Dalewood cheese platters are published on the official wines page:

  • Cheese platter — R220 (Chilli Brie, Fig Brie, Camembert, mature Cheddar)
  • Cheese & meat — R320 (with salami, biltong, droëwors)
  • Cheese & fruit — R320
  • Cheese, meat & fruit — R420

Visit-us states Eikehof is on the Blue line of the Franschhoek Wine Tram; drive-ins during business hours are welcomed. Hours on the visit page display an example 10:00–16:00; the wines page states the tasting room is open Monday–Sunday. Crush Mag and other tertiary sources historically listed slightly different weekday/weekend splits—use the live visit-us widget and phone ahead for public holidays.

Eikehof also appears on the Franschhoek Vineyard Hopper winery list, making it easy to slot between larger R45 neighbours such as La Motte and Leopard’s Leap without a long detour.

Practical tips for Western Cape itineraries

Budget roughly 45–90 minutes if you add a platter and the premium Semillon pour. There is no full restaurant claimed on the official site—platters are the food offer—so plan lunch elsewhere if you want a hot meal. Bottle shop and online ordering are available via the estate store for travellers who prefer to buy after tasting.

Eikehof suits first-time Franschhoek visitors who want a friendly family cellar, a verified complimentary Rosé welcome, and a chance to taste wine from a 1902 Semillon bush vine—a concrete heritage hook few valley stops can match. Keep prices flexible in your notes; the R105–R175 flight ladder and R150 premium Semillon tasting were live on eikehof.com/wines at research time but can move with vintage and season.

How Eikehof fits a Franschhoek wine day

Place Eikehof early or mid-route on the R45 when travelling from the Stellenbosch / Paarl direction toward the village, or as a Blue-line Wine Tram alighting between larger neighbours. The farm’s scale—tens of hectares, not hundreds—keeps the tasting personal; owners and staff are part of the product. That intimacy is why many guides call it a hidden gem, though the tram listing means it is hardly secret.

Bottle prices published beside tasting flights on the wines page (examples around the mid-R100s to mid-R200s for current vintages, with premium Semillon and Cape Ruby priced separately) make it easy to buy after tasting without a separate shop expedition. Online ordering extends the relationship for overseas or Cape Town-based buyers who tasted once and want the 1902-vine Semillon again.

Unlike chocolate-pairing theatres or music-led village cellars, Eikehof’s promise is shade, mountains, family narrative, and a free Rosé welcome that softens the start of a paid flight. Cheese platters from Dalewood keep the stop self-contained for light hunger; serious lunch still belongs at a restaurant estate or in Franschhoek village.

Accessibility notes: the visit page emphasises drive-in or tram; no complex booking engine is required for standard tastings according to official copy—walk-ins during open hours are invited. Still, harvest weekends and December can crowd small lawns; a quick WhatsApp or call to +27 83 232 6223 is courteous for groups. Public-holiday hours can differ from the generic Monday–Sunday statement—verify.

For SEO and itinerary honesty: the complimentary Rosé welcome is officially published, the 1902 Semillon bush-vine claim is officially published, and the R105–R175 flight ladder plus R150 premium Semillon tasting were live on eikehof.com/wines at research time. Those verified hooks are stronger than vague “charming family farm” filler—and they are what travellers actually need.

Things to do at Eikehof

Browse all experience types

Notable wines

Boutique estate wines

Visiting with kids

Shaded oak lawns with cheese platters and open outdoor seating on a Wine Tram Blue Line stop listed as child-friendly.

Possible with kids. About 51 min from Cape Town. Suited to toddlers, tweens.

LawnsCasual food

  • vineyard walks

Eikehof is a laid-back stop on the Franschhoek Wine Tram Blue Line, with tastings under shady oak trees and cheese platters to share. The tram operator lists the farm as child-friendly, highlighting outdoor seating, scenery and vineyard walks, so there’s room for little legs to stretch while parents taste. No booking is needed for a casual visit. However, no dedicated playground or kids menu was verified on the official site, so pack snacks and entertainment for younger children. Limited dedicated kids amenities — best as a short, relaxed tram-day stop for families happy with lawns and open air, suiting toddlers through tweens.

Before you go

  • No booking is listed for a casual visit. Weekends can still fill up.
Is Eikehof child-friendly?

The Wine Tram lists it as child-friendly, with outdoor seating and vineyard walks.

Is there a kids menu or playground?

Neither was verified on the official site.

Can we reach it by Wine Tram?

Yes — it’s a Blue Line stop.

Nearby with children

  • Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve — Walk or hike, Franschhoek · 1 km Website
  • Huguenot Memorial Museum — Kids museum, Franschhoek · 3 km Website
  • Huguenot Monument & wild flower garden — Outing, Franschhoek · 3 km Website
  • Franschhoek Motor Museum — Kids museum, Groot Drakenstein · 15 km Website

Family notes checked 5 October 2026. Confirm on the farm’s website before you drive. Source. More family farms in Franschhoek. Things to do near this farm. Weddings on this farm.

Weddings here

Official Functions page with downloadable wedding package for intimate oak-tree winelands weddings (max 75)

Hosts weddings. Up to 75 seated. About 51 min from Cape Town. 51 min from the airport. From R22500.

In-house cateringSmall weddingOutdoorIndoor

Main building (reception max 75); courtyard; outside lawn; optional shed

Outside lawn ceremony (+R1500 historic); courtyard for canapés

Under old oak trees between vineyards; vineyard and mountain views from lawn

Eikehof is an intimate Franschhoek venue under old oak trees between the vineyards, with vineyard and mountain views from the lawn.

At a glance

  • Capacity: reception maximum of 75 in the main building
  • Spaces: main building, courtyard, outside lawn and an optional shed
  • Ceremony: on the outside lawn, with canapés in the courtyard
  • Accommodation: none on site
  • Catering: in-house buffet, or an outside caterer with food prepared off-site
  • Bar: managed by the venue only; no outside liquor apart from limited champagne corkage rules
  • Coordinator: on-the-day coordination is available

Eikehof suits small weddings. Functions end at 24:00 and music is kept to light background levels, with the owners controlling the volume.

Price: historic guide price — request a current quote. The 2022–2023 Venue Portfolio listed a venue fee of R22 500 (2022) for up to 75 guests, with ceremony and coordination charged as extras. Treat this as a guide only.

The 2022–2023 wedding package PDF is linked from the official Functions page. To enquire, email info@eikehof.com.

Last checked 5 October 2026 against the estate's official information. Confirm details directly before booking.

Before you enquire

  • Functions conclude 24:00; doors closed 24:00; light background music only; no heavy sound; volume controlled by owners
  • Buffet in-house or external caterer allowed (food prepared off-site; R50pp external catering fee historic); bar managed by venue only; no outside liquor except limited champagne corkage rules
  • historic — Venue Portfolio 2022–2023: venue fee ZAR 22 500 until end 2022 / ZAR 23 000 until end 2023 (max 75 guests). Ceremony +R1500. On-the-day coordination R3000. Confirm current rates.
How many guests can Eikehof host?

Up to 75 guests for the reception.

Can we bring our own caterer?

Yes. You can use the in-house buffet or an outside caterer (food prepared off-site). The bar is managed by the venue only.

Is there accommodation?

No, there's no on-site accommodation.

What time does the wedding end?

Functions end at 24:00, with light background music only.

What does it cost?

The published rates are historic (from R22 500 in 2022). Request a current quote.

Wedding notes checked 5 October 2026. Guest numbers and packages change. Ask the farm for the current offer. Enquire. Brochure. Source. More wedding farms in Franschhoek. With kids. Tours.

Tours that stop here

All wine tours

Questions before you go

Where is Eikehof?

Eikehof is at R45 corridor, Franschhoek. Most visitors drive there from Cape Town in 60–75 minutes.

When is Eikehof open?

Open Sunday. Hours change, so call +27 83 232 6223 before you drive.

How much is a wine tasting at Eikehof?

Free tasting · Walk-in. Prices change, so confirm when you book.

Wine of Origin

Geographical unit: Western Cape → Coastal Region → Franschhoek

Franschhoek Valley is a compact, dramatic district: a cul-de-sac of vineyards between the Groot Drakenstein, Franschhoek and Klein Drakenstein mountains.

Terroir snapshot

Elevation and soil figures are modelled at the pin, not a vineyard block survey. Use them to compare farms, not to quote a technical sheet.

Latitude
-33.91
Longitude
19.16
Elevation
638 m (Open-Meteo)
Soil pH
6.2 (SoilGrids 0–5 cm)
Clay
15% (SoilGrids)
Organic C
66.7 g/kg (SoilGrids)

Sources

  • OpenStreetMap node 4230413893
  • Phone, hours, and facilities: farm website
  • Wine route membership: association listing
  • Family notes: farm website, checked 5 October 2026
  • Wedding notes: farm website, checked 5 October 2026
  • Tours: operator pages
  • Elevation: Open-Meteo
  • Soil: ISRIC SoilGrids

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