Wines from South Africa

Wine growing was introduced to South Africa in the 17th century by the Dutch. It really took off in the following century with the arrival of French Huguenots, who were experts in viticulture. The vineyards were devastated at the end of the 19th century. It was only with the end of apartheid and the opening up of South African products, which had previously been boycotted, to international markets that production was able to take off again.

Today, the vineyards cover around 110,000 hectares of vines, located around Cape Town in the south of the country, particularly in the Stellenbosch region. Viticulture was able to take root there thanks to the Benguela sea current, which cools the country's west coast. South Africa has a system of appellations of origin that divides the vineyards into wine regions, districts, and estates. The name of a vineyard or its translation cannot be used as a geographical indication, only as a brand name.
 
Nearly 50 grape varieties are now grown in South Africa. This great diversity is due not only to the significant climatic differences in the Cape Province, but also to the enthusiasm and initiative of winegrowers who are often willing to try new grape varieties. Traditionally, South Africa has mainly produced white wines such as Avenir Chenin Blanc 2006 and Oude Kaap 2016 (85%), but this proportion is tending to decline due to the growing and almost exclusive export of red wines (such as Columella 2017 and Avenir Pinotage 2006).

Discover South African estates: Klein Constantia, Sadie, Man, Alheit.