South African Wine

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The history of wine-making in South Africa began as the Dutch East India company established a “refreshment station” at the Cape for trading fleets (a precursor to the truck stop) in 1652. Jan van Riebeeck, the first Cape governor planted the first vineyard in 1655 and others followed with various Dutch immigrants. The Constantia vineyard was first planted by Simon van der Stel and gained some notoriety. But since the Dutch, face it, aren’t really known for their viticultural skills, it wasn’t until the French Huguenots settled in the Cape around the 1680s that more refined wine-making techniques were practiced.

But South African wines still had yet to catch on in the rest of the world. In the 18th century, there was a shortage of proper oak barrels for aging, and terroirs and climates had yet to be matched to the grapes most suited to grow in them. But the British occupation of the Cape finally helped nudge things along in the mid century, since they were still on bad terms with France, and happy to source wine from other countries. Until the Phylloxera crisis hit South Africa by the end of the 1800s, and once again, the system needed rebuilding.

In 1918, Charles Kohler established the Ko-operative Wijnbouwers Vereniging van Zuid-Africa Beperkt (which is thankfully abbreviated to KMV) to regulate the wine industry.

But South Africa’s big moment arrived in 1925 when Stellenbosch University Professor A.I. Perold crossed Cinsault and Pinot Noir to create a unique South African hybrid, Pinotage. Say what you will about this grape of acquired taste (berries and rubber tires...yum?). But this varietal did catch on and many wineries planted the grape for domestic and export bottlings by the 1960s. However, many countries were wary to do much business with South Africa due to its ongoing Apartheid practices. By the 1980s, a full stop embargo was enacted between countries such as the US and South Africa, which once again halted the industry since international investments in its wine dried up. Even when the embargo was finally lifted at the end of the decade, much of what was exported had garnered a poor reputation since this isolation held back modern techniques and quality advances in wine-making.

But in the 1990s, once trade relations stabilized, foreign investment came pouring in. There were many opportunities for growth, and soon a range of formidable Old World and New World styles of wine were being produced and exported. Pinotage is the most popular red grape, along with Shiraz (Syrah), Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Merlot. Chenin Blanc is the most popular white varietal, along with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

The subregions of South Africa are:

*Eastern Cape

*KwaZulu-Natal

*Northern Cape (which includes the Orange River region)

*Western Cape (which produces the majority of the country’s wines and includes the Breede River Valley, Cape Agulhas, Coastal Region, Klein Karoo, Olifants River, Overberg, Ruiterbosch and Walker Bay regions)

– Description from Amanda Schuster (hide)

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Mentor for South African Wines

Mary John Baumann, DWS

Accredited wine expert with advanced wine education, sales and lecturing talent. Creative marketer with demonstrated success in global marketing and development of leading multinational luxury brands.

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Popular wines made in South Africa under $20

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Stellekaya Red Bordeaux Blend Stellenbosch Orion

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Varietals Produced in South Africa View all

Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc is widely grown in California -- at over 15,000 acres, it’s now the third most planted variety -- and...
Cabernet Sauvignon

“King of the Red Wine Grapes.” The colonizer of the vineyards, pushing native wine grapes into its shadows. The Caber...
Syrah

The irony here is that Syrah’s origins could give Carmen Sandiego a run for her international wallet. Syrah’s deepest...
Chardonnay

British wine writer and critic, Jancis Robinson, once noted that throughout the 80’s and 90’s in the United States, C...
Pinotage

History of the grape: In 1925, Stellenbosch University Chief Horticulture Professor Abraham Izak Perold created the P...
Chenin Blanc

History of the grape: Modern day French oenologist Pierre Galet states Chenin Blanc has been in France at least since...

Subregions of South Africa

Breede River Valley

The Breede River Valley is a low altitude, flat wine region in South Africa. Much of it ha...
Bot River
Coastal Region

The Coastal Region, within the Western Cape district, is considered the heart of the South...

Popular Wineries in South Africa View all

Juno Wines Company

The Juno Wine Company - based in the town of Paarl in the heart of South Africa’s winelands - was...
Newton Johnson

Family run vineyard and winery, growing and making cool-climate wine focussing on elegant restrai...
Goats Do Roam Wine Company

Goats do Roam is a South African wine company, based in the Paarl region of the Cape winelands...
Hamilton Russell Vineyards

Hamilton Russell Vineyards is one of the most southerly wine Estates in Africa and one of the clo...
Obikwa

A South African Winery specializing in classic South African grape varieties such as Sauvignon ...
Spier Cellars

THE SPIER EXPERIENCE Spier is one of the Stellenbosch winelands’ most celebrated destinations. T...

People getting updates on South African Wines

Page 264 of 294
South Africa on Snooth

February 2008

Boekenhoutskloof Syrah Franschhoek Valley 2002

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by aaronapugh
February 2008

Le Riche Cabernet Sauvignon Stellenbosch Reserve 2001

Snoothrank:

Nose has nice eucalyptus hints. This is probably the correct time to be ... ... heavier Cabernet coming from South Africa. Still, I like it and would drink agai Read More

Wine review by mark
February 2008

Excelsior Shiraz Paddock 2005

Snoothrank:

A Red, White and Bubbly "Best Buy" Jan '08 Read More

Wine review by scooter12
February 2008

Swartland Pinotage 2007

Snoothrank:

A Red, White, and Bubbly "Best Buy," Jan '08 Read More

Wine review by scooter12
January 2008

Drakenskloof Colombard Kelder Reserve 2005

Snoothrank:

Quite sweet on the tongue with peach and melon but not enough to make me want to drink more than one glass. Read More

Wine review by colinrchorley
January 2008

Fairview Estate Goats Do Roam South Africa 2003

Snoothrank:

Definitely good value for money among new world wines, if I may use that term. 85% Shiraz, 12% Mourvedre, 3% Viognier makes a nice medium bodied wine that is slightly spicy with notes of toast and coffee. While I found the structure and the body somewhat wanting I will remember it rather as an easy drinking wine. We had it maybe 3 hours after op... Read More

Wine review by gabor
January 2008

Cathedral Cellar Shiraz 2006

Snoothrank:

A very pleasant first experience for me in South African reds, and an excellent price-pleasure ratio Read More

Wine review by alex dube
January 2008

Jordan Winery Jardin Chardonnay 2001

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by Sovereign89
January 2008

Goats do Roam Wine Company Red Rhone Blend Goat-Roti 2005

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by robholowka
January 2008

Darling Cellars Shiraz 2007

Snoothrank:

Shiraz is one of South Africa's primary varietals, and this wine is a nice example of their style. Full and rich without a hint of jamminess. Nice fine tannin for structure and mouthfeel. Amazing with pulled pork, will work well with anything off the grill. Read More

Wine review by VinoChica

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