Wines of South Africa
The African continent is an important producer of wine. However, a large part of its territory lies outside of the parallels 30th-50th northern and southern latitude and only the north and south part of Africa have the proper conditions for planting the vine. Due to this situation, South Africa becomes the largest wine producer in the African continent.
The most important wine region (and almost the only one) is the Western Cape located in the southwest. Its position was crucial for the development of viticulture in the seventeenth century (midway of the route between Europe and the Indies), as the ships stopped at the Cape to get supplies and continue their way to the Indies, the same happened in the return route. In 1655 the first vineyard was planted in Cape Town by the Dutchman Jan van Riebeeck. The viticulture flourished thanks to the French Huguenots who settled in the Franschhoek Valley (just outside Cape Town), they set the foundations of viticulture in South Africa.
In 1925 Professor Izak Perold cross-pollinated the Pinot Noir and Hermitage grapes (Cinsault) giving rise to the South African emblematic variety: Pinotage.
In 1973 the South African wine legislation was established:
Wines of Origin: It is the equivalent to the Denominations of Origin and cover 4 levels, according to the territory included, from the general to the particular, they are classified as follows:
Geographical Unit: a whole region. Regions: in which Geographical Units are divided. Districts: districts in which the regions are divided. Wards: the municipalities in which the districts are usually divided.
Surface area under vineyards: 130,000 hectares
Wine Production 10.5 million hectoliters
Wine Exportation 4.3 million hectoliters
Most planted grapes In hectares
Whites Chenin Blanc 17,707 Colombard 11,51 Sauvignon Blanc 9,246 Chardonnay 6,856
Reds Cabernet Sauvignon 10,689 Shiraz 9,946 Pinotage 7,056 Merlot 5,558
Today, South African wines are recognized all over the world and compete with the best in the world, demonstrating the great potential of southern African wines.
Fuente: OIV, Wines of South Africa
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