Fairview Wine and Cheese
You come to Fairview for wine and cheese in Paarl, where the tasting happens in four barrel-shaped pods with dedicated hosts. The estate makes both cow and goat milk cheeses, which you sample alongside the wines — six of each in the standard tasting, with pairings suggested by the staff. The cheesery began in 1980 with Saanen goats; their tower is now a landmark visible from the tasting area.
The vineyards stretch across Paarl, Darling, and Swartland, growing grapes like Shiraz, Pinotage, and Chenin Blanc. The deli sells cheeses to take home, and the Goatshed Restaurant serves Mediterranean-style dishes. The farm removes invasive vegetation and holds sustainability certifications for its wine and cheese production.
The Back family has run Fairview since 1937. Cyril Back started the cheesery after a trip to France; his son Charles expanded it and introduced Jersey cow milk cheeses in 1995. The wood from cleared alien trees is used as mulch in the vineyards and as firewood by farm workers.