If the thought of a wine festival fills you with terror; moustached French accented men, international ladies of leisure, and other wine snobs snottily gargling and spitting the Pinot - worry not.

The Robertson Valley's Wacky Wine Festival (June 6-8) is no such nightmare. Voted as South Africa's most unpretentious wine festival, they even allow children in! Obviously not for drinking purposes, but more on that later.

Old-school charm

One of the most attractive aspects of this festival is the location. Robertson is one of the Winelands' most charming towns.

It's about 150 years old and has the history to go with it. The Victorian buildings remain with their perfectly immaculate gardens in tact.

Be more outdoorsy

The best thing about the different Winelands towns, Robertson included is you're not just confined to wine activities when you’re there. There are also opportunities for different outdoor activities.

In Robertson you can hike in the Valley, which you can find in the middle of the majestic Langeberg Mountains with the Breede River running through it.

If golf's your poison you should stop in at Bonnievale and Montagu.

Other activities include, hot springs (yes to some it counts as an activity), rock-climbing, and tractor trips, amongst others. Click here for more on what to do.

Scenery aside

Essentially, it really is wine that gives Robertson its super-star status in the Winelands area.

Route 62, also known as the Robertson Wine Valley is home to a large number of cellars, estates and award winning wines. It is also, more prestigiously, the longest wine route in the world.

And it's along this route that you'll enjoy the Wacky Wine Festival, whether you drink wine or not.

There's a kind of do-it-yourself spirit to the whole festival that contributes to the relaxed feel of the event.

It doesn’t take place in one specific area; there are many spots with their own wine tasting itineraries around Robertson. Simply select that which you find most appealing.

You're still waiting to find out how kids feature in this thing?

Well, most of the festival sites will offer more than just wine tasting. Some will offer food sampling, a guaranteed hit for the whole family.

But that's not nearly enough to keep the kids occupied. There'll be opportunities to go boating and play in jumping castles.

The whole weekend is pure fun for the entire family. Just make sure you keep your tasting glass safe, lest you have to pay R40 for another.

Need accomodation? Check out some of our cool Winelands deals.

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