KWV (Ko-operatieve Wijnbouwers Vereniging van Zuid-Afrika — the Co-operative Wine Growers' Association of South Africa) is one of the country's most storied wine institutions, founded in 1918. Its cellars in Paarl include the enormous Cathedral Cellar, a vast underground space whose architecture rivals any church, with vaulted ceilings supported by oak columns that are themselves works of art.
Tours of the cellars run throughout the day and include tastings of KWV's wines and brandies. The brandy portfolio is particularly noteworthy — KWV has been producing Cape brandy for over a century and the product competes seriously with Cognac. The Cathedral Cellar alone is worth the tour, and the history of the South African wine industry that runs alongside the tasting makes it more than just a drinking session. Book ahead during the peak summer season.