South African Wines
South Africa is another New World wine producing region trying to establish itself on the global stage. The roots of South African wine production can be traced back to the first Dutch Colonists in the 16th Century. Vast swathes of land were used to plant vines and by the 19th Century, South Africa had an excellent reputation for producing quality wines which led to a booming export industry to many other parts of the World including Britain. In the 20th Century, South African wine production along with other exports were hugely damaged by the Apartheid controversy. It wasn't until the end of Apartheid in the 1990s that South African wines once again started to exert their presence on the World stage. Since then, the choice available to online wine clubs and to the average consumer to buy wines from supermarkets has greatly increased.
Most South African wine is produced in the south of the Country, near the coast. This area has a Mediterranean style climate which produces perfect temperatures for harvesting the grapes. Being near the coast, it also has strong wind currents coming in off the Atlantic which help to reduce humidity, as well as lessening the chance of airborne diseases and mildew which can damage the grapes. The Western Cape includes that vast majority of South Africa's wine producing areas, these include, Constantia, Stellenbosch and the Breede Valley.
Located south of Cape Town, Constantia is the oldest wine area in South Africa, it is also well known for it's dessert wines. Most of the grapes grown in the district are of the Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, white grape variety.
Stellenbosch is located east of Cape Town and has a mild, temperate climate and is noted for it's red wine production. Amongst the varieties used here include, Merlot, Pinotage, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The Breede Valley is located east of the Drakenstein Mountains. It has a warm climate which means it produces some excellent red and white wines. The area on the whole is known for it's white Dessert wines which are becoming more popular with people who buy wine internationally, as well as the numerous online wine clubs.
South African wines are making a big come back on the World stage after years in the wilderness. They are well worth a look, especially from the regions described above and will make an excellent companion for many a dinner party.
