ON a recent trip to what is known as the Cape Wine Lands, I discovered why this is the perfect destination for the gourmet, wine lover and seeker of all pleasurable things. Violence, political unrest? I saw none in this lotus land of hills and sea and whitewashed houses. Wild animals are either confined to game parks or seem to be tamed and well looked after. However, we spotted one big whale, petted a cheetah (albeit in captivity) and swam with African penguins � all in the space of a week.

Cape Town has its own international airport, but alas, there is no direct flight as yet from India. You will have to fly to Johannesburg, which is a very convenient eight-hour flight from Bombay, and then take a comfortable connection to Cape Town, two hours away. It sounds long and tedious, but it isn't. The airports are all international standard and South African Airways, a very decent airline to fly with.

Cape Town is a delight � a charming city on a bay with a beautifully renovated waterfront, with shopping malls, restaurants, bars and boats. A great place to get over any jet lag and start your wine and food tour. A major plus point about visiting South Africa is also the price, especially since the devaluation of the local currency, the rand. We found everything affordable and amazing value for money. A bottle of good Sauvignon Blanc costs no more than $3 and a meal for two, with wine, in an upmarket restaurant, under $25!

You need a car to get around. Car hire is easy and roads a treat to drive on. Since my primary purpose was to discover the wines of South Africa, we headed straight for the wine lands - a smooth 30-minute drive from the airport. Your linguistic skills will be tested, since Afrikaans is a strange guttural mix of Flemish, Dutch and German, and names become tongue twisters to pronounce. Unless, of course, you speak Dutch or German.

Wine country is basically situated around the towns of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl to the east of Cape Town and further away, Worcester, Robertson, Walker Bay and Elgin and Constantia to the south, which is now almost a suburb. Ten minutes out of the city, you have rolling green hills and vineyards, white Cape Dutch Houses and picture perfect scenery. The climate is Mediterranean and the soil, which is made up of old weathered granite and sandstone, perfect for vines.

Wines, the volumes and the choice, can be a daunting experience in this part of the world. Since the South African wine industry has really only developed in the last century, they produce mainly single varietal wines, like Australia and New Zealand. There are today 355 active cellars and 66 per cent of their production is exported.

Fruity, almost sweet Chenin Blanc and Pinotage (a South African red grape, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, designed for high yields and hardiness) are the classic South African favourites. Most wines are drunk young and are not laid down for any considerable amount of time. Having said that, there is definitely more to South African wines than their cheap 'quaffing' reputation, perpetrated by wines exported to the UK. What I appreciated most was the frankness and openness of the wine producers I met.

South Africa still has a tendency to produce more whites than reds, although the gap is narrowing. Chenin Blanc is the Cape's favourite wine, with 1/5 grape vines devoted to this variety. Second comes Colombard and then Chardonnay. Chenin Blanc is also the backbone of most late harvests (dessert wines).

The Sauvignon Blanc in the Cape tends to be fruitier than their 'gooseberry like' New Zealand counterparts. "This is part of the taste profile South Africans enjoy, not the grape itself," said Richard Kershaw, the new winemaker at Nelson's Creek. Alan Nelson, considered one of the most progressive wine producers in the region, has in fact just concluded a joint venture with Chateau Indage and his delicately crisp Sauvignon Blanc made from early picked grapes, his oak barrel fermented Chenin Blanc and new style "bled" reds, which result in a more intense flavour, colour and depth, will soon be available in India.

The big surprise for me were South African reds. Previously reds made up very little of the wine production. Today, they make up a respectable 30 per cent. Shiraz, Cabernet and Merlot lead the field. Merlot and Cabernet, from Thelema Estates, where winemaker Gyles Webb has been inundated with awards; outstanding (and expensive by South African standards). Pinot Noir from the very British Hamilton Russell estates. Wine critic Oz Clarke describes their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay as "setting a standard for the rest of the hemisphere". World class Cabernets from Etienne Le Riche, a small winemaker on the outskirts of Stellenbosch.

One of the top South African Pinotages and Bordeaux style "Trilogy" from one of the few women winemakers in the Cape, Norma Ratcliffe of Warwick Estates.

If you don't have the time to visit several wineries, a good place to sample a great many varieties and wineries (they also allow you to taste before you order by the glass or by the bottle) is Wijnhuis, a Wine bar and restaurant in the heart of Stellenbosch. The lounge with its comfortable leather sofas is perfect for wine sampling. They have a good Italian bistro attached and handy souvenir and antique shop downstairs. Frank, the manager (one of the few blacks we saw in this industry) is courteous and will guide you through the wines until you find something you like.