Caroline's Fine Wine Cellar

Caroline's Fine Wine Cellar

Caroline's Fine Wine Cellar
4
Speciality & Gift Shops
This location was reported permanently closed
About
Caroline's Fine Wine Cellar is a specialist wine retailer situated in central Cape Town. The company's two stores are owned and managed by Caroline Rillema, who has 30 years of experience in the wine industry. Her passion has taken her to all the major wine regions of the world, and she applies her knowledge in selecting the finest imported and South African wines she can find for her customers. You will find a vast selection of Bordeaux, Burgundian, Loire, Champagne, Italian and Spanish wines, as well as some exciting names from the New World. We currently also offer a daily winetasting with local winemaker, Lieze Norval. The tasting offers an overview of the Cape Winelands and is designed for those travels who do not have enough time to go out to wine farms. Booking is essential.
Duration: < 1 hour
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles19 reviews
Excellent
13
Very good
3
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
3

AlA1111
Antwerp, Belgium68 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
We went to buy a dozen of bottles for the wedding of a friend who wanted to start a wine cellar. Not being knowledgeable about South African wines we asked to be advised on the choices of wines. The person in charge was very helpful, his advices very helpful and it turned out to be that his recommendations were excellent according to our friend. An excellent experience.
Written 12 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you you for the wonderful review Regards
Written 13 March 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

mirazimi
Old Greenwich, CT90 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
I really wish I remembered the name of the HIGHLY knowledgeable lady that patiently told me the stories and detailed impressions behind the wines she chose. They did not up sell me, were super attentive, and just wonderful.

I truly don’t know what that bad review I read was about. It’s certainly not the staff I felt with!

What a place!

I will buy wine *nowhere* else from now on!
Written 7 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for such a lovely review. We always appreciate feedback, but feedback this great makes it all worthwhile.
Written 8 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

PrincesSarah2015
Lake in the Hills, IL18 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2019 • Couples
Wonderful store. Great selection of fine wines, both from South Africa and around the world. Set in the heart of the city, yet it feels like you are a million miles away. Purchased a few bottles to enjoy during our stay in Cape Town. Informed that Cab is king in Stellenbosch, and the bubbles rule in Franschoek.
Written 22 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glad that you enjoyed your time with us. Hope to see you again soon
Written 23 May 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

City Simmy
Cape Town Central, South Africa35 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2019 • Solo
I work in the area and pop down maybe twice a week just to grab a bottle for the office. The staff are friendly and always happy to help whether I know what I'm looking for or not.

The only issue is the sheer volume of wine bottles they have. If you do not know what you are looking for, it can be a bit daunting.

But the staff are friendly and informed, and its a great experience.
Written 12 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
That is great to hear, thank you. We are always happy to see a return customer.
Written 13 March 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

RTissi
Curitiba, PR49 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2018 • Solo
I had a terrible experience at this shop. A young lady was at the cashier and she mistreated me in every possible way (I don´t know if she´s the owner). She was very, very rude. Unfortunately, I didn´t get her name.
First thing she did was rudely correct my pronounce of two wines I was looking for (Rust en Vrede and Stellenzicht - sorry, I´m Brazilian, don´t speak Afrikaans... big deal). Then, she told me those two wines were not worthy to be at the shop, and I could find them in supermarkets, because this shop focus on high-end wines, etc, etc...
Surprisingly, the first wine she offered me was an ZAR 110,00 Chardonnay (where is the high-end there?).
I became so disturbed that I coludn´t make a proper selection of wines, and I regret buying at least 2 of my 5 bottles (my bill was over ZAR 2000,00).
But the grand finale was when I was paying (live cash) and asked for a discount. The lady was utterly offended, made all kinds of faces, and left the cashier mumbling things like "why does he want a discount", and other things I couldn´t understand.
Well, I wanted a discount because I was paying cash, because it´d be nice to treat a customer well, especially one that came all the way from Brazil. And I believe treating your customer well is paramount to any shop.
I can say for myself, I would have spent much more if I was properly treated. At least would have taken a bottle of Capensis (ZAR 1100,00 Chardonnay) I saw on my way out.
Written 10 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are sorry that this was your experience as that is not our practice at all. We pride ourselves on being one of the top wine shops in South Africa, and having the expertise and service delivery to match. Our practice is that if a staff member is not sure of the item you are looking for they try to confirm it by providing you some options that could be the wine you seek. It is to ensure they do not misinform a customer or frustrate them buy claiming we do not have stock of something when we do, or providing the wrong wine due to a misunderstanding. We are a small and boutique wine shop, and while we do try, we can not stock every one of the 900+ wine producers in South Africa. We are careful in our selection that we do not stock widely distributed wines. Should a customer request a wine that we do not stock but can be found in a grocery store, we will inform you of where to find that wine in an effort to be helpful. We are also more than happy to order something in if time is not a factor. We specialise in small and artisan producers in addition to high end wines. We are happy to say that small producers also produce inexpensive wine, and thus can be a more affordable price. I am not sure, but I'm assuming that the staff member was trying to match the pallet of wine you were requesting with one that we did have in stock. If you ask for a specific style, regardless of the price, we will do our best to find a wine to match. If you however request a specific wine that we do not have, at a certain price point, we will do our best to stay within that price bracket. Given that we work so often with foreigners, we are often asked for discounts, so it confuses me as to why she would have "pulled a face". We are a boutique wine shop in the heart of Cape Town, and we try our best to accommodate customers. If we are able to give a discount we do are best to do so, but we are always saddened to see a rating based on discount, as you would never ask for a discount at a larger shop or franchise.
Written 12 March 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Bruce B
Boerne, TX9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2018 • Couples
We booked a two day private tour of Constantia and Stellenbosch through Caroline's Fine Wine Cellar. They arranged for Lieze Norval to be our guide
We made contact on-line with Lieze before our trip to make arrangements on the details. Lieze proposed a group of wine farms to visit based on our preferences. She arranged for all the details including reservations for lunch. She is a winemaker and has a broad and deep knowledge of all aspects of the grape growing and wine making business. Further, she has a passion for wine that is infectious. She also made recommendations for Cape Town restaurants that turned out well.
She had a personal relationship at each winery we visited and it helped break the ice with the staff at each place. We felt more like friends sitting around tasting the wines than customers at most of the places. It helped that it was the slow season and we got more time and attention that we might in the busier season. There was a reason to visit each winery e.g. a particular wine, a chance to compare two locations of a paticular vintage, or a chance to enjoy a smaller family operation.
Lieze has an outgoing but not overbearing personality and training as an oenologist as well as a tour guide. We had a very enjoyable couple of days and would recommend her to anyone.
We, of course, visited Caroline's to meet the rest of the staff and look around the store. It is very complete, covering wines across the world as well as a comprehensive South African selection. A must see for a wine enthusiast.
Written 6 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We're so happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour, Bruce. Looking forward to seeing you again!
Written 9 July 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

travel ginger
London, UK956 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2017 • Friends
Some amazing wines here and a great place to try a few. The building is lovely as were the staff very helpfull and friendly. Very clean i will be back.
Written 26 November 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your time and comments, we always appreciate feedback. Hope to see you again soon.
Written 27 November 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

SAWinemaker
Cape Town Central, South Africa31 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2017 • Solo
The selection of wine is incomparable, there is no better wine shop in Cape Town, and the staff are knowledgeable, so helpful and eager to share advice, no matter the budget. It is definitely my favourite wine shop in this city.
Written 20 June 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you SAWinemaker for your time and wonderful review. Hope to see you again soon
Written 21 June 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Marc D
State of Sao Paulo54 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2017 • Couples
The place is easy to find, offer all grapes, and incredible choice of wines of the region and we nearly found all good wines we wanted. The prices are good, and we could talk to the owner who was very friendly and professional…the sales man was very competent without being pushy. The place has a lot of class…and those people know their business..a real pleasure to buy there…
Written 9 January 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bertil O
Western Cape, South Africa20 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2016
We have visited Caroline´s Fine Wine Cellar many times since we came to Cape Town first time 2009. We have always been warm welcomed of a nice staff who have very good knowledge about the wines, The selection of wines from all over the world is excellent. The design of he shop is worth a visit even without the wines! You will not find many shops like this even if you try hard.
Written 10 February 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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CAROLINE'S FINE WINE CELLAR: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)