The South African vineyard is still little known worldwide, yet over the past 25 years, South Africa has become the 8th largest wine producer in the world, ahead of Germany and China. It ranks alongside Australia and Chile.
No less than 122,000 hectares of vines and over 600 million liters are produced there. That's more than the Bordeaux vineyard!
In addition to its production volume, South African wines stand out for their quality. For several years now, some wines from the country have been ranked among the best wines in the world! Enough to be tempted by these wines still rarely tasted at our tables and to learn more about them.
History of viticulture in South Africa
The South African vineyard has been reborn since the end of apartheid, relying on the diversity of terroirs and climates.
Vine growing in South Africa developed from the 17th century and gained momentum with the arrival of more than two hundred French Huguenots during the religious wars in France. It is the only New World country to have established a prestigious cru, Constantia, at the tables of many European monarchs in the 18th century. This dessert wine was considered one of the greatest wines in the world. However, the British capture of the Cape in 1795, 1806, and 1914 led to the decline of the South African vineyard. Finally, the arrival of phylloxera and powdery mildew in the 1860s ended the cultivation of Constantia.
Currently, the Stellenbosch and Paarl districts provide 45% of the wine production.
Many owners of French origin have maintained the French presence by offering red and white wines meeting European standards: Pierre Jourdan at Cabrières estate, Anne Cointreau, descendant of the family owning the liqueur of the same name, and Benjamin de Rothschild associated with the Rupert family. Some vineyards still belong to descendants of these families.
Vineyards and terroirs
The South African vineyard has a rather Mediterranean climate, with variability depending on the vineyard’s proximity to the ocean. Located between 27° and 34° south latitude, the geographical situation of the South African vineyard can be compared to Morocco in terms of climate. The cooler Western Cape has a climate closer to that of Languedoc-Roussillon in France.
The difference from the Mediterranean climate lies in the fact that, unlike the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic and Indian Oceans create powerful cold currents (Benguela current). The breeze from the south cools the coastal areas, which promotes slow ripening of the grapes and allows the cultivation of varieties like Chardonnay or Pinot Noir, more commonly found in Burgundy and Alsace in France.
These climatic conditions have greatly influenced the vineyard’s location within the Cape region. Indeed, the vineyard is rarely found more than 50 kilometers inland where the climate is less favorable. The mountain ranges of the Cape also contribute to the emergence of many microclimates, enhancing the diversity of terroirs and the production of South African wines.
The South African vineyard is mainly located on an ancient eroded Cambrian massif. It is planted on schist and granite soils. The Stellenbosch and Paarl regions have clay soils that retain water, ensuring beneficial moisture for the vineyard during the summer period.
The South African vineyard has experienced rapid development since the 1980s thanks to increasingly advanced techniques such as mechanization, irrigation, the use of yeasts, temperature control during fermentation, acidification, and more. This development has allowed the production of consistently good quality wines that are easy to sell but very standardized. That is why, in recent years, more and more winemakers have decided to position their wines in the premium segment and develop a more qualitative approach so that the South African vineyard can be featured on top tables.
Committed to developing good viticultural practices within the framework of sustainable development, South Africa is the world’s leading producer of Fair Trade certified wines.
South African wines
Today, the South African vineyard is planted with 56% white grape varieties and 44% red grape varieties, compared to 84% white varieties in the 1990s. Chenin Blanc remains the dominant grape variety in South Africa with 18% of plantings, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon, which accounts for 12%.
Chenin Blanc is locally called “Steen.” This grape’s ability to produce high yields while maintaining a certain acidity even in South Africa’s warm climate makes it very interesting for the country’s vineyards. Indeed, it allowed the production of large volumes of white wine sold at low prices. These entry-level white wines are moderately structured with citrus aromas, especially lemon.
For several years, they have coexisted with high-quality Chenin Blanc wines. It is from the Cape Town region more precisely, which enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate without extreme heat thanks to the ocean currents, that great wines based on Chenin Blanc are produced. The wines have a lovely freshness, tangy peach notes, and also flavors from aging in new oak barrels.
Pinotage is increasingly present. This grape variety, created in 1925 in Stellenbosch (about fifty kilometers from Cape Town), is the result of a cross between Pinot Noir (from Burgundy) and Cinsault (from Provence). Historically, Cinsault was called Hermitage in South Africa. That is why the name Pinotage was given to the grape, a contraction of Pinot and Hermitage. This unique grape produces powerful, tannic wines with a dark color. On the palate, it has intense aromas of red fruits, candied fruits, cinnamon, and licorice. Pinotage took time to be fully exploited because winemakers struggled to find the best natural conditions and vinification methods for it to fully express itself. Today, it is the pride of South African winemakers.
South African wines struggled to establish themselves globally because they arrived on the market very late. Today, 50% of South African wine production is exported, making it a true success.
