The Wine Regions of South Africa

Who can forget such striking names as Meerlust, Rustenberg, Vergelegen, Steenberg and Mulderbosch...? Certainly not those with an interest in New World wines, amongst which the vineyards of South Africa stand as tall as any. The regions that produce these wines are some of the most beautiful in South Africa, holidays to visit them being an equally large industry. The following is an introduction to this world of green slopes, light breezes and world-class produce.

The Wine Regions of South Africa

The first wine grown in South Africa was that of Jan Van Riebeek, the founder of Cape Town, in 1659. The earliest estate, Constantia, was born just 26 years later in 1685. So, while the wines of South Africa may be 'New World' there's really very little 'new' about them. Most of the vineyards are based in the Western Cape, surrounding Cape Town, a top location for luxury holidays, South Africa's best-known tourist destination, and a stunning example of the country's landscape. However, the Northern Cape, fed by the Orange River, is starting to be developed, as well as the eastern region of the KwaZulu-Natal. Early efforts appear promising, but as the vast majority of wines comes from the Western Cape the following areas are all based in the lush surroundings of Cape Town:

Constantia

In an affluent suburb of grand houses and luxury hotels, South Africa's Constantia region is famed as a pedigree of their wine market. South African wine finds its origins here and the area is currently undergoing a popular revival. The vineyards are ideally placed on the side of the Constantia Mountain where they are cooled by gentle sea breezes. Despite these ideal conditions only five estates are based locally: Klein Constantia, Groot Constantia, Buitervenwachting, Constantia Uitsig and Steenberg.

Stellenbosch

Based just 50km south-east of Cape Town, Stellenbosch is famed as the country's greatest wine-producing region and as the largest university town in South Africa, holidays here being based around the fertile valleys and historical towns of the agricultural heartland. With over 200 producers based in the area, Stellenbosch is the established capital of South African viniculture. Fringed by mountains that afford spectacular views, the geology of the area is of particular interest; the granite-based soils in the east are ideal for the cultivation of red wines, while the sandstone soils in the east lend themselves more easily to whites.

Franschhoek

To the west of Stellenbosch and by no means as large, Franschhoek lies surrounded by the Drakenstein mountains and enjoys relatively high levels of rainfall and warm temperatures. Because of this producers here have the freedom to cultivate a wide variety of wine styles. Being only 50km east of Cape Town, and boasting a wide range of chic restaurants, it is also included on the itinerary of many luxury holidays. South Africa can offer few better gourmet experiences.

Walker Bay

A cool coastal region that is very much on the up, Walker Bay houses such varieties as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and other traditional Burgundy grapes. Local estates include Hamilton Russell and Bouchard Finlayson.

Paarl

To the north-west of Cape Town, this famous region boasts a selection of leading producers such as Veenwouden, Nederburg, Fairview, Glen Carlou and Plaisir de Merle. Rhone-style grapes are being grown here, such as Syrah and Pinotage, representing a move from traditional white cultivation to reds. The summer heat in the area means that the best produce comes from the more elevated vineyards.

If the visitor wants to complement their stay in one of the country's fine luxury hotels, South Africa's wines are the very finest choice. Not only are they an example of real local work and ingenuity, but they give a real taste of the culture. Make sure not to miss out on your next visit to the Southern land.

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Tips - How to Choose a Good Bottle of Wine

Buying a good bottle of wine can be intimidating especially if you are not experienced. Often buyers think that you have to spend a lot of money in order to get a full bodied and smooth tasting bottle of wine. This is simply not the case. While wine preference is personal, there are several ways to find a great bottle of wine for less than fifteen bucks. First, find a wine merchant who carries many different labels of wine. Next you should narrow down your wine varietal such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Chardonnay, etc. Once know what kind of wine you are looking for, lastly you have to decided how much do you want to spend. I typically do not want to spend more than fifteen bucks. To some this still may sound like a lot of money but if you are willing to go to fifteen dollars, you will have access to plenty of wines.

Now that we know how much we want to spend and what kind of wine we want to buy, we now can look at the label where we can learn much about this particular bottle of wine. What vineyard or winery made the wine? The name of the winery is the most obvious title on the label. Under that you will see the year or vintage. This is the year the grapes were harvested and made into wine. A young wine will have different characteristics than an older wine. Under the year, you will find the variety of grape used to make the wine. When the name of particular grape is used, no less than seventy-five percent of the wine must be from this grape thus a wine labeled Cabernet Sauvignon must be seventy-five percent Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.

The other twenty-five percent can be from any other varietal. Under the kind of wine is where the grapes come from. This part is the key for picking a good to great bottle of wine. A wine that is labeled Napa Valley or Sonoma County must only use grapes found within these areas. Usually the smaller the area, the better the quality wine. A wine labeled "California" means that grapes can come from anywhere in the state. This to me makes too much of hodgepodge mixture to be of any significant quality. The last point I want to bring up is if the wine label says "Reserve," or "Estate."

A reserve wine is going to the superior wines from that winery. It is make with select grapes and utilizes the "Free Run Juice" which is the juice of the grapes before they are pressed. Reserve wines however do cost more and I typically only drink them on special occasions. Estate wines are neat because the term "estate" means that the wine must be produced entirely on the property. It must be grown, produced and bottle right on the property.

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All You Need To Know About South African Wine

Despite the fact that South African wine is generally thought of as New World, the country has actually been producing wine for more than 350 years. However, it is only since the end of Apartheid in the 1990’s that the South African wine industry has really come into its own.

The heart of South Africa’s wine growing industry is The Cape and three of the country’s five growing regions are located here. Stellenbosch, one of these regions, accounts for a vast proportion of the country’s wine production, in particular, of international grape varieties.

Having said that, a wine search shouldn’t be focused entirely on Stellenbosch. Although the area produces great tasting wines, it’s also a firm favourite on the tourist trail, meaning that you’ll come across some fairly hefty prices compared to other South African wine regions. If you want to be sure that you get maximum value for money from your wine, yet get all the quality and taste of real South Africa, don’t forget to look to the lesser known areas and wine-makers.

Traditionally white grapes have dominated South African wine production. Chenin Blanc, which is more commonly known in South Africa as Steen, accounts for a huge proportion of the wine production. It produces a deliciously crisp dry wine, although it can be used to make some sweeter varieties. Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are also popular with South African winemakers.

More recently, demand for South African red wine has taken off, with a number of international varieties, including Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, all key to this success. In addition, South Africa’s home grown red grape Pinotage, is at the heart of South African wine production. Pinotage was initially slow to gain popularity but has become increasingly sought after as winemakers get to grips with learning how to get the most from it.

Winemaking took off in South Africa when the migrating French Huguenots brought their winemaking skills to the country back in the 17th century. By the early 20th century, these skills had been rolled out across the country, although it could be argued that the quality of the wine being produced at this time was relatively poor. A master cooperative (KWV) was set up in order to help provide stability and supervise all production within the South African wine industry. However, this was privatised following the end of Apartheid. Since then, an exciting new generation of winemakers has been learning skills from other wine-making nations. New capital and training has been invested and winemakers have had more freedom to experiment. The result is the emergence of a generation of wines which rival those from the New World.

Unlike many other nations, wine from South Africa clearly straddles the Old World and New. Thanks to its warm temperate climate, South African wines are blessed with all the fruitiness of New World, yet have the wine growing history and finesse of the Old World.

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Families love to visit the Cape Winelands - South Africa

And you'll love the Cape Winelands too, if you

- enjoy being out in the open, surrounded by beautiful scenery

- have a family that will enjoy doing things together.

There is so much more to the Winelands than wine! Most visitors (our family included!) are not wine connoisseurs, so don't feel left out if you don't know a Chardonnay from a Chenin Blanc...

Where exactly IS the Cape Winelands ?

The original vineyards of the Cape were planted at Groot Constantia. Constantia wines were famous even in Jane Austen's time! The vineyards at Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek were not far behind as these were also established in the Cape Colony era.

These days the vineyards stretch far and wide. (Wellington, Robertson, Montagu and on up the Route 62 as far as Calitzdorp in fact.)

It's up to you to decide how far you want to go! But unless you're looking for exhaustive (exhausting?!) regional wine tastings, there's more than enough to enjoy within an hour's drive of Cape Town.

Which wine route?

The Stellenbosch wine route alone is made up of 5 sub-routes and 130 wine farms. And the Paarl and Franschhoek wine routes are nearby too - think you can visit them all? Nope? So how do you choose?

This is what we do.

Generally our trips encompass some Paarl and some Stellenbosch wine farms, partly because it allows for an easy circular drive: out on the N1, across on the R44 and back via the N2. We meander along map in hand (opens in new window), pick out farms we want to visit, picnic or lunch somewhere, then meander some more before finally heading for home.

The key is to soak up the ambience along with the wine. You may have to designate one adult as driver to be sure all that vino doesn't stop you getting safely home :-).

We love the Franschhoek valley for its beauty as well as its wine, so we'd certainly recommend you do an exceptionally scenic drive through it and of course stop anywhere that takes your fancy!

What else is there?

Aside from the fruits of the vine, the Cape winelands can provide a fair few days of entertainment. What's worth doing? Let's see -

visit Stellenbosch itself with its quaint and picturesque town centre

great hikes in Jonkershoek Nature Reserve (but don't bank on the picnic site there!)

- strawberry picking in summer

- a crocodile farm

- a butterfly farm

- trout fishing

- hot air ballooning (if you have the budget!)

And that's not all:

Stellenbosch Tourism is about to launch their 'children's route'! This is so hot off the press that when I asked at their offices on the weekend they told me it was Classified Info -- Top Secret -- I would have to wait for the "Official Launch"!

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Cape Winelands: a Feast for the Eyes and the Spirit

Cape Town’s Cape Winelands is a must-see place for tourists, not for the wines alone but for the majestic panorama of sweeping vineyards and soft rolling hills. The hues of this wonderful stage change with the time of day, flaunting the vibrancy of nature’s palette, crimson and lavender of dusk to the velvety soft hues of deep starry nights. In the daytime, the startling blue of the skies lends a lovely contrast to the colors of mother earth.

Top Wine Routes

In the western province of South Africa lies the Cape Winelands region. This is only an hour drive from Cape Town, so there is no excuse why you cannot spend a night in the wine-producing region. Cape Town accommodation in this part of the province are varied and cater to the big shots in politics and Hollywood, yuppies, and backpackers who crave a respite from their extreme adventures.

The region produces the world’s best wines, 10 billion liters annually. The grape wines flood the coffers of the economy and employ 300,000 workers. The famous wine-producing places here are Stellenbosch, Paarl, and Franschhoek. But other places like Constantia, Robertson, and Wellington should not be dismissed. These are equally picturesque and produce quality wines—Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc.

Stellenbosch and Franschhoek are the two oldest vineyards with their history dating back to the seventeenth century when the Dutch and the French settled in the area and started growing grapes for wine. The industry grew to become one of the top export earners for the country today.

From July to August, Stellenbosch celebrates the wine festival. This is a big festival attracting hordes of tourists from all over the world. Among the other must-join activities are the mountain biking challenge, trail trekking, and visiting the vast vineyards. Just walking the tree-lined avenues can send you to nirvana.

Paarl is another Dutch settlement and the third oldest in Cape Winelands. Other than its vineyards, Paarl offers mountain climbers and bikers the thrill of conquering Paarl Rock or trek the lovely trails in the woods just below the mountain. Just make sure you are loaded with drinking water because the excursion can get you thirsty.

Constantia is another place you must not ignore. Facing the False Bay, and just 20 minutes from the city center, the place is teeming with sights to see and explore. Still standing and as beautiful as they were first built, stand the manors constructed Dutch style. Picnic under the shade of ancient oak trees in the lawns or have sumptuous meals in the numerous restaurants or shop in the center. There is always something for tourists of all inclinations.

Tourists and guest laze around and drop in the estates, enjoy the breathtaking scenery, sip wine, or have a grand tour of the places. It takes a day or two to see all of one place so be ready to camp out in one of those wonderful boutique hotels and guesthouses that provide the same comfort and convenience of Cape Town hotels.

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How to Buy the Best Wines

Many wine buyers and collectors prefer to go to wineries to ensure that they make the right purchase of fine wines. You may find experts and wine critics where you travel. They know everything about the most popular wine brands, quality fine wines, and the vintage wines.

However, there are professional wine critics that have their own personal judgment on the taste and quality of a wine. You may rate it differently according to your preferred flavor and taste. It is important to read wine reviews to serve as your guide in buying quality fine wines. Learn the art of Wine Tasting

You may also get advice from your friends and local wine traders. Don't be intimidated to ask for advice and suggestions on what brands and types of wines that will match your taste in collecting and drinking wine. Here are some helpful tips on how to purchase the right wine for you.

1. You may attend tradeshows that offer free taste tests and try out new releases. You can then make a list of the wines that you think taste the best and have good quality.

2. Compare prices from different stores and look for stores that offer discounts when you buy wine by the case. Don't assume that all vintage wines are expensive. There are aged wines that are also sold as bargains as long you buy them in cases.

3. Accept special offers from wine shops. The wine industry has always been highly competitive for sellers and businesses because of the increasing number of wine shops.

4. It isn't advisable to buy wine without their bottles having signs and wrong labeling. They could only be products of wine smuggling and fraud.

5. Check the ullage on vintage wines. You can find seepage if there is a gap between the cork and the wine. You may even find trails of crystals on the seal of the bottle.

6. Do not buy those bottles that have shown signs of seeped wine through the corks. You could find traces of spills and trails on the glass of the bottle.

7. Always be updated on the new releases and sudden favorites like those wines that are high in demand in nightclubs and bars. Look for those lists of wines that have been recognized and have won at tradeshows and competitions.

Always make sure that the wine you purchase has an undamaged label. You shouldn't buy those wines that have faded labels. It might mean that the bottle may have been exposed to sunlight and wasn't properly stored in coolers.

Wine making is an easy, cost-efficient way to stock up on your favorite vintages. Although the wine-making process is fairly simple, it�'s important to follow the steps carefully to ensure you don�'t miss any elements. These steps will be crucial to the success of your batch.

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