South Africa ~ Wine Region

When the Dutch colonized the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa as a restocking port between Europe and India, they attempted to make wine from the indigenous grapes, but that didn't work out too well. They just did not make good wine. So the commander of the settlement, Jan van Riebeeck, had Chenin Blanc vines shipped down so they could plant vineyards and begin making their own wine. From van Riebeeck's journal entry on February 2nd, 1659, he claims that day was when "wine was pressed for the first time from Cape grapes."

Making Wine in South Africa

Back in the day, the world famous dessert wine from Constantia were beloved by the likes of Frederick the Great, George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Napoleon Bonaparte, George IV, and Otto von Bismark. It was one of the best wines in the world during this era.

(This article was written for GrapeBunch, our weekly wine periodical. Click here to read the original!)

But as times changed, quantity took more importance over quality for South African wine production. That's not to say that quality wine wasn't being made, but those weren't well known and it wasn't a focus in their industry at all. It wasn't until the end of Apartheid, which opened their trade to the world, when those quality wines started to make a name for themselves on the international scene. More focus was put into quality overall, and it became one of the top producers of fine wine in the world.

View the South African wine region map by Wine Folly

Today the most planted variety in South Africa was the very first planted there. Chenin Blanc, which they call locally Steen, has become their signature grape. Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc, and Cinsault are also widely planted and produced into excellent wine.

Taking up 7.5% of vineyard plantings is a grape variety exclusive to South Africa called Pinotage. This was first cultivated in South Africa in 1925 by a Professor of Viticulture named Abraham Izak Perold, by crossing Pinot Noir with Cincault. The red wine that it makes is fruity and smokey. Scroll further down to the "Let's Get Niche-y" section to check out a Pinotage that we carry.

From Walker Bay, South Africa, Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc is one of my favorite Sauv Blancs. It has notes of grapefruit, bell pepper, lemon, and grass. Pairing: The bright acidity makes it a great choice with green salads (try a little goat cheese on there) and vegetarian dishes.

This article was written for The GrapeBunch Wine Periodical.

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Joey Casco
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Certified Specialist of Wine
Certified Specialist of Spirits

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