by Shannon
Porter, Personal Wine Consultant with The Traveling Vineyard
When you think of South Africa what do you think of?
Apartheid, desert, safaris, wild animals? Does wine come to mind? Probably
not. While most people have had wine from Australia and New Zealand,
they are not aware that Africa has been producing wine for decades in
places like Algeria and Morocco and modern wine-making facilities even
exist in Zimbabwe and Kenya.
However, it is the Cape Region of South Africa that
has a near-perfect terroir (the combination of soil and climate) for
the growing of grapes. The climate is generally mild and mirrors Mediterranean
conditions, with cooling ocean breezes. And the fact that South Africa
lies in the Southern Hemisphere also gives it an advantage; a vintage
from South Africa will be in the marketplace about five months earlier
than those wines from Europe or the U.S.
The first grapevines were planted in 1656 by Dutch
settlers in Cape Town and wine was a part of the culture until 1885
when the deadly grapevine pest phylloxera virtually wiped out all the
grapevines. After that tragedy, the vineyards were further devastated
by the Anglo-Boer Wars. In the early 1900’s, grape growing was
on the rise and in 1918, the KWV, or Kooperative Wijnbouwers Verenigong
van Zud-Afrika Bkpt was formed to create a market for Cape wines and
regulate pricing and production.
While the KWV did improve the quality of South African
wines, it also became an obstacle to progress. No wine could be bought
or sold outside the KWV, experimentation with different grape varietals
and new grape plantings was discouraged. High yields were also encouraged,
thus producing bland juice. Only in the last 20 years have restrictions
imposed by the KWV been eased, allowing for more boutique-style wineries
producing smaller quantity, higher quality wines to emerge. Today only
about 25% of the wines produced in South Africa are controlled by the
KWV.
With the lifting of trade sanctions and the end of
apartheid in 1991, South African wine is slowly finding its way to other
parts of the world. South Africa is now the world’s seventh largest
wine producer and the 15th largest wine exporter, producing about 3.5%
of the world’s wines.
South Africa has 12 wine regions which are then divided
into smaller regions and wards. All of South Africa’s top wine
districts are located in an area of Table Mountain which looms over
the port city of Cape Town. Forty different types of grapes are grown
in these regions, with white wine grape varietals dominating. Chenin
Blanc (called “Steen” locally) claims one-third of the vineyards
with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Reisling being the other top producing
grapes.
In 1990, red grapes only accounted for 15% of production, but that has
since doubled thanks to the varietals of Pinotage, Shiraz and Bordeaux
Blends (Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.) Pinotage is a grape found almost
exclusively in South Africa and is a genetic cross between the Cinsault
and Pinot Noir grapes. It currently makes up only 5% of the wine acreage
in South Africa, but demand is on the rise as it is being exported more
to the U.S. and consumers are trying and enjoying its flavor. Pinotage
is made in several different styles: young, light and fruity, like Beaujolais;
deep and robust like a Red Zinfandel or elegant like a French Bordeaux.
Pinotage has a good depth of flavor, with some varieties offering a
banana-like taste while others aged in oak take on a wonderful smoky
or chocolate flavor.
Ask your favorite wine store to recommend a good Pinotage and then try
it with a nice steak, meatballs, barbecue or even a chocolate dessert!
Or, enjoy a South African Sauvignon Blanc with your favorite Asian dish.
Zinfully
yours, Shannon
Shannon
Porter is an Independent Wine Consultant with The Traveling Vineyard
and has conducted over 200 wine tastings. Started in 2002 as a division
of Geerlings and Wade - the largest direct to consumer wine distributor
in the U.S. - The Traveling Vineyard is based on a simple premise: the
best way to buy wine is to taste it first. Modeled after tasting rooms
found at fine wineries the world over, The Traveling Vineyard allows
you to sample and learn about wine in the comfort of your own home.
To learn more about booking a free in-home wine tasting event or for
information on how to become an independent wine consultant; visit:
www.freewinetasting.net.
