Boutique wine farms are generally in higher demand than larger wine farms, with those priced around the R30m mark the most popular, according to Kevin Layden, the Seeff Property Group' agent for farms in the Stellenbosch and Boland areas.
These farms draw interest from local and international buyers alike – and are popular partly because the owner's financial exposure is limited, says Layden.
Not only does the local wine industry supply employment and, of course, wine, but the tourism side is also a valuable contributor to the South African economy.
Samuel Seeff, chair of the Seeff Property Group, regards the Cape Winelands as among the most beautiful wine regions in the world, and a key drawcard for international tourists visiting South Africa.
"Generally, boutique farms are selling in the R20m to R40m range and commercial wine farms in the R50m to R75m range. Top-end wine brands on the market range from around R100m to R250m, but at this end of the market they are not actively promoted and marketed and sold on a confidential basis," explains Layden.
"There are about 560 wine farms in the Cape and about 20 tourist wine routes and these continue to grow. Most of the farms have wine tasting and tourist facilities, and some also offer accommodation."
According to Nelia Retief from Seeff Tulbagh, the Tulbagh/Witzenberg area is seeing growing demand for wine farms as it offers a slightly lower price point compared to Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl.
Tulbagh is a popular wine growing region and home to a number of wineries such as Saronsberg, Montpellier and Theuniskraal.
In her view, there is lots of tourism potential, and she has seen increased demand from foreign buyers, especially Germans and predominantly for wine farms in the R15m to R40m price range.
Some of the boutique wine farms up for grabs include:
Mooizicht (Stellenbosch) - 70ha wine farm for R31m:
Dieu Donne (Franschhoek) - 18.4ha wine farm with a traditional Cape Dutch home and views over the Franschhoek Valley and town for R40m:
La Bourgogne (Franschhoek) - 22ha wine farm on the banks of the Franschhoek River with a manor house of which the oldest section dates back to 1694 for R52m:
Waverley Hills (Tulbagh/Wolseley) - 82ha boutique organic wine farm for R39m:
Recent wine farms sold include:
Knorhoek (Stellenbosch) for R94m;
Uitkyk (Klapmuts/Paarl) sold for R91.164m;
Warwick (Stellenbosch) sold for R80m;
Le Bonheur (Klapmuts/Paarl) sold for R55m;
L'Avenir (Klapmuts/Paarl) sold for R40.450m;
Lievland (Klapmuts/Paarl) sold for R35m;
Pink Valley (near Somerset West) sold for R34m;
Stellenzicht (Stellenbosch) of which the sale price was not disclosed.