Wine has always been woven into the fabric of Cape Town. Had Belthazar existed 200 years ago, guests would have had an unobstructed view of the approximately 250 000 vines planted on the slopes of Table Mountain, brought by the ships docked in the harbour before you. Travellers to the city will notice suburb names like Oranjezicht, Tamboerskloof and Vredehoek, all of which were wine-producing farms supplying ships coming into the Cape. At that time, royalty, authors, and poets lauded the sweet wines of Constantia, with many critics today regarding them as some of the finest on the planet. Today, the Cape Town wine district stretches from Durbanville, through the city bowl (once known as Table Valley), and then onto Constantia and the South Peninsula. Far from being consigned to history, the oldest fruit-bearing vine in the Southern Hemisphere can be found in Heritage Square, a short distance from Belthazar. Planted in 1771, this Chenin Blanc vine is a vivid relic of the history of wine growing in the Cape.
