South Africa

Vineyard in South Africa

South Africa is one the oldest place in the world producer of wine. Since 1994 with the end of the Apartheid,  the country have engaged a lot of changements and obviously about the wine.

The South African vineyard was implanted during the XVIIe century by French Huguenots. At this period, the producted wine was very famous and especially the Vin de Constance that was very apprecied by all the Europe.

95% of the wine is produce on the Western Cap. We can split the wine estates in five districts:

- Orange River
- Olifants River
- Klein Karoo
- Breed River Valley
- Coastal Region

The country propose two different climatic conditions to make some wines:

- A maritim climate that allows essentialy to make some white whites. (Sauvignon Blanc, Sévillon and Riesling). We can quote the vineyard of Constantia in Walker Bay.

- A continental climate that characterises the vineyard of Stellenbosch, Paarl, Wellington and Robertson. This region allows to put the grapevine of the mountain to research coolness.

Vineyard in South Africa

The land owns five grapes (Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot and Chardonnay) and product a metis grape called the Pinotage issued of the Pinot Noir and the Cinsault that make originality of South Africa.

After having explained the situation of the wine in South Africa, I'm going to quote the best vineyard of the country.

Klein Constantia

This vineyard is one the most historic place of the country. After the changements issued of the Apartheid, this place try to refind the quality of its famous "Vin de Constance". 

Klein Constantia wines

Ken Forester Vineyards

This vineyatd propose some great dry and liquorous white wines issued of its sandy terroir of Scholtzenhof.  The cuvées sell under the name of Petin Chemin are very apprecied in United Kingdom. 

White wine Chenin Blanc

Rustenberg wines

This is the pioneer place of the South African viticulture. Installed at the top of a mountain, the vineyard propose some wines issued from bordelais grapes. The best wines are the Cabernet-Sauvignon Peter Barlow and the vintage Rustenberg.

Rustenger wines