Sips With Soul Wine Tour

Sips With Soul takes you beyond the usual Cape Town wine route by placing Black and Colored winemakers, vineyard managers, and chefs at the center of the day. You visit one of South Africa’s two fully Black-owned wine farms, along with other estates connected to people of color.

I like the clear purpose and the small maximum group of 12. I also like that tastings, lunch, and transportation are built into the day, so you can focus on the wine and the stories. The main drawback is the price, $225 per person, and the seven-hour schedule may feel long if you want only a quick tasting.

Key points at a glance

• A wine route with a clear focus: The day highlights people of color working in South African wine.
• Franschhoek is the setting: You spend the main part of the tour in one of the Cape’s best-known wine areas.
• One fully Black-owned farm is included: The route visits one of South Africa’s two 100 percent Black-owned wine farms.
• Food is part of the experience: Tastings and lunch are included, with food and wine pairings receiving especially strong praise.
• Small-group format: The tour has a maximum of 12 people, which should allow for a more personal day.
• Named team members: Past departures have included guide Cindy, driver Justin, and founder and experience creator Tuanni.

Why this wine tour feels different

Cape Town has no shortage of wine tours. Many follow familiar routes, pour a few glasses, and move on. Sips With Soul takes a different approach by asking you to look at who makes the wine, manages the vines, cooks the food, and helps shape the South African wine industry.

That focus matters because the region is often seen as lacking diversity. This tour pushes past that narrow view. You visit wineries connected to Black and Colored professionals, including winemakers, vineyard managers, executive chefs, and owners.

I like tours that give a place more than a scenic backdrop. Here, Franschhoek is not just a pretty valley for photographs. It becomes a setting for conversations about work, ownership, talent, and the changing wine culture of South Africa.

The tour is presented by Zuri Wine Tasting and Tours. Tuanni, who helped create the experience, is described as deeply committed to sharing wine knowledge and supporting partners who are building a more diverse industry. Depending on the departure, your team may include Tuanni, guide Cindy, and driver Justin. Cindy is described as warm and well informed, while Justin handles the driving.

From Cape Town to Franschhoek at 10:00

The day begins at 10:00 am at Caffe Milano, 100 Shortmarket Street, in Cape Town City Centre. The tour returns to this same meeting point at the end of the day.

That central pickup is useful if you are staying in Cape Town’s city center and want a simple start. Transportation is included, which also removes the need to drive after wine tastings. You can give your attention to the vineyards, food, and discussion instead of road signs and alcohol limits.

The full experience lasts about seven hours and 15 minutes. That makes it a full day rather than a quick add-on between city sights. You should keep the rest of your schedule light, especially if you want to enjoy lunch without watching the clock.

The journey takes you from the city toward Franschhoek, one of South Africa’s best-known wine areas. The supplied details do not specify the exact driving time, the vehicle type, or the order of the farm visits, so do not plan around a precise arrival at each estate.

The group limit is 12 people. That is large enough to create a social atmosphere but small enough for questions and direct contact with the guide. A small group also suits the subject of this tour. The stories about ownership, vineyard work, and wine careers are easier to follow when the day is not built around a large coach.

Franschhoek, with the people behind the wine

The main stop is Franschhoek, where the route focuses on wineries connected to people of color. The tour visits one of two 100 percent Black-owned wine farms in South Africa, then includes other farms where a person of color works as a winemaker, vineyard manager, or executive chef.

That mix is important. Ownership tells one story, while winemaking, vineyard management, and kitchen leadership tell others. By including each role, the tour gives you a wider view of the industry instead of treating diversity as a single topic.

You can expect tastings at the farms, though the specific wines and number of pours are not provided. The experience is designed to pair the wine with the people and ideas behind it. If you already know South African wine, you may appreciate the chance to connect bottles with a broader set of voices. If you are new to the region, the guide’s explanations should help you understand what you are tasting without requiring a strong background.

The tour’s strongest point is its sense of purpose. It does not simply add a social theme to a standard tasting route. The farms selected for the day are connected to the central idea, so the subject should appear throughout the experience.

At the same time, this is not presented as a technical wine course. If your main goal is to study grape varieties, winemaking methods, or cellar production in great detail, check the current visit plan before booking. The available information puts more weight on people and industry stories than on formal instruction.

Tastings, lunch, and food pairings

Lunch is included, which helps justify the length of the outing. Wine tasting on an empty stomach is not a clever plan, and a meal gives the day a proper middle point rather than turning it into a string of pours.

Food and wine pairings have been singled out as exceptional, so you should expect lunch to be more than a basic stop between farms. The exact menu is not listed, and it may vary by departure or venue. If you have dietary restrictions, ask the operator before booking rather than assuming substitutions are available.

The meal also fits the tour’s wider message. An executive chef of color is part of the professional group highlighted by Sips With Soul. That means food is not just practical fuel for the day. It is another way to understand the people shaping the region’s wine culture.

I like this part of the design because it links wine to hospitality. A glass does not exist alone. It reaches you through farming, production, cooking, service, and storytelling. The lunch gives those connections a place at the table.

What the guides add to the day

The experience depends heavily on the people leading it. Tuanni is associated with the creation of the route and is described as passionate about wine and the stories of the partners involved. Her role gives the tour a personal point of view rather than the feel of a generic transfer between estates.

Guide Cindy has been praised for being warm and personable while also explaining the wine and the South African industry clearly. That combination is useful. A guide who knows the subject but cannot connect with a group can make a tasting feel like a lecture. A friendly guide without solid information leaves you with pleasant memories but little understanding.

Driver Justin has also been recognized as helpful. His role may seem secondary, but safe and calm transportation is a major part of a wine day. Since tastings are included, having a dedicated driver is one of the practical strengths of the experience.

The named team members may not be on every departure, so treat them as examples of the people associated with the tour rather than a guaranteed lineup. Still, the feedback gives you a useful picture of the tone to expect: personal, welcoming, and focused on teaching.

Is $225 a fair price?

At $225 per person, Sips With Soul costs more than a simple shuttle to one winery. The price includes transportation, wine tastings, and lunch, plus the value of a route built around a specific social and cultural focus.

I would judge the price in three parts. First, you are paying for a full day in Franschhoek without needing to arrange a car. Second, food and tastings are included, so the advertised cost is not just an entrance fee. Third, you are paying for a carefully chosen subject and access to stories you may not find on a standard wine outing.

The small group also matters. With a maximum of 12 people, the experience should feel more direct than a large bus tour. That does not guarantee private attention at every stop, but it creates better conditions for questions and conversation.

The value is strongest if you care about the human side of wine and want a guided route with a clear point of view. If you only want the lowest possible price or a large number of cellar visits, this may not be your best match. The tour’s value comes from its focus, not from racing through as many farms as possible.

Who should book Sips With Soul?

I would recommend this tour to you if you want your day in wine country to connect scenery, food, wine, and social context. It is especially suitable for a first visit to Cape Town because it combines transportation with an introduction to Franschhoek.

Solo visitors should also consider it. The small group and hosted format make it easier to share the day with others, while the central meeting point keeps the start simple. One solo visitor described the experience as a highlight of a first Cape Town visit, with particular praise for the food and wine pairings.

It is a good fit for people who already know the basics of wine but want to learn more about South Africa’s industry and the professionals changing its public image. It also works for people who are less interested in technical tasting language and more interested in the people behind the bottle.

I would hesitate if your schedule is packed, if you dislike organized group outings, or if you want to choose every winery yourself. The route has a clear theme, so you are buying into the selection rather than designing a private day around personal favorites.

The tour is recommended by all of the available ratings, with a perfect five out of five from 15 reviews. That is a small sample, so I would not treat it as proof that every departure will be identical. It does support the idea that the tour’s main strengths are its guides, food, wine, and purpose.

Booking details worth knowing

Confirmation is provided when you book. The tour is near public transportation, though the listed starting point is Caffe Milano in Cape Town City Centre, and the activity ends back there.

Most people can participate, and the group is limited to 12. The price is $225 per person, and the average booking is made about 61 days ahead. That advance-booking pattern suggests you should not leave it until the last minute if the date matters to you.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the local start time. Changes or cancellations made inside that 24-hour window are not accepted for a refund. The tour also requires a minimum number of participants. If that minimum is not met, you will be offered another date or experience, or receive a full refund.

Should you book this Franschhoek wine day?

Book Sips With Soul if you want a wine tour with a clear social purpose, included lunch, and a small-group setting. The route gives you a way to see Franschhoek while learning about Black and Colored professionals working across South African wine and food.

I would choose it over a standard tasting day when the stories behind the farms matter as much to me as the views and the bottle in my glass. I would skip it only if $225 is beyond your budget, you need a tightly controlled private itinerary, or you prefer a short tasting rather than a full seven-hour outing.

For most visitors who want a thoughtful introduction to Cape Town’s wine country, the combination of transportation, tastings, lunch, and direct guidance makes the price easier to defend. The biggest reason to book is not simply the wine. It is the chance to understand who is helping shape the next chapter of South African wine.

FAQ

Where does the Sips With Soul wine tour begin?

The tour begins at Caffe Milano, 100 Shortmarket Street, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa.

What time does the tour start?

The listed start time is 10:00 am.

Where does the tour end?

The activity ends back at the starting meeting point in Cape Town City Centre.

How long does the wine tour last?

The tour lasts approximately seven hours and 15 minutes.

What is included in the tour?

The tour includes wine tastings, lunch, and transportation.

How many people can join the tour?

The activity has a maximum group size of 12 people.