RMB Simonsberg Wine Festival 2026 – Taste the Mountain

By Carel Nolte

If you love exceptional South African wine, nature that genuinely resets you, and weekends that leave you feeling richer rather than depleted, the RMB Simonsberg Wine Festival deserves a firm place in your diary. Hosted at Plaisir Wine Estate, on the slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain, it has quickly become one of the most rewarding wine weekends on the calendar. Tickets are already selling well and I would encourage you to book sooner rather than later.

This is not a generic tasting event. It is a festival rooted in place. The Simonsberg rises to nearly 1 400 metres above sea level and sits at the meeting point of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek. That geography matters. Cooler nights, granite-based soils and steady mountain influence allow grapes to ripen slowly, producing wines with depth, freshness and real ageing potential. This mountain has a voice, and you taste it in the glass.

The line-up of wine farms this year is genuinely impressive. It brings together established names that have shaped South African wine alongside smaller producers doing quietly exceptional work.

Glenelly is a standout, with its strong Bordeaux heritage and a consistent track record of elegant, award-winning reds and whites. Tokara continues to impress with precision winemaking, particularly the Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and olive oil-led estate ethos. Thelema remains one of the great Simonsberg references, producing wines of structure and restraint that age beautifully.

Alongside these larger estates are farms that reward closer attention. Marianne is known for expressive, classically styled wines with international recognition, including their acclaimed Bordeaux blends. Vuurberg, smaller and more intimate, produces superb wines that reflect altitude, low yields and careful hands. These are bottles you often remember long after the tasting. I can go on mentioning all the farms – but best you join us at the end of February and experience it for yourself ….

What I particularly enjoy about this festival is the range. Different styles, different philosophies, one mountain. Every participating farm will not only be pouring for tasting, but will also have wine available for sale on the day, so you can take your favourites home rather than trying to track them down later. 

Plaisir itself deserves a special mention. Events hosted here have become known for quality, attention to detail and genuine value for money. The setting is beautiful, but it is the care behind the scenes that makes the difference. It is not flashy. It is thoughtful, generous and well run. The Plaisir people make it so.

Food plays a big role this year, with options designed to suit all palates. Expect excellent burgers, build-your-own charcuterie boards using local produce, vegetarian options done properly and a few culinary surprises along the way. This is food that complements wine rather than competing with it.

There is live entertainment across both days, a relaxed atmosphere that encourages lingering and conversation, and lucky draws with prizes to be won throughout the festival.

The festival runs over two days, Saturday and Sunday 28 February and 1 March. Come for one day, or make a weekend of it. If you are keen to move a bit before you sip, Sunday also includes a trail run with various distances. I did the short one last year and loved it. Big views, clean mountain air and Plaisir bubbles at the top as a reward.

RMB returns as headline sponsor. They are a CN&CO client and partner, and more importantly a corporate that understands how to enable events that are commercially sound and genuinely good for community. They sponsor with intent and care, and it shows.

This festival is about more than wine. It is about enjoying nature, supporting excellent producers, moving your body, feeding your mind and spending time with people who care about craft and place. Look after the body and the mind follows.

Tickets are available now and I strongly suggest you do not delay.

BOOK HERE FOR THE SIMONSBERG WINE FESTIVAL

See you on the mountain!