South Africa

A Brief Introduction

Few countries have had as fraught a wine-producing history as South Africa. Things got off to a running start with Constantia, the sweet wine that became the darling of royals and intellectuals for much of the 18^th and 19^th centuries. But waves of economic and social calamity saw much of that early promise squandered, and the 20th  century was, generally speaking, a dim time. Chronic overproduction led to the domination of co-ops, and one in particular, the KWV (Ko-operatieve Wijnbouwers Vereniging van Zuid-Afrika in Afrikaans, or Cooperative Winemakers Union of South Africa), grew to monopolize the industry. Due to its close political ties, the KWV’s reign became especially potent during the apartheid years, a period when embargos from much of the rest of the world left the wine industry to flounder in isolation.

Things turned around rapidly after apartheid ended in the early 1990s—but the seeds of change had already started rooting. In the 1960s and ’70s, an increasing number of private estates had begun attracting attention with their high-quality wines, and this movement gained momentum across the 1980s. These producers and winemakers fought against the complacent establishment and lobbied for things like access to better vine material and the right to develop new viticultural areas. As a result, by the time of the first non-racial democratic election in 1994, the KWV had already softened many of its more draconian positions. 

Since that time, quality has skyrocketed, new producers are making some truly thrilling wines, and the fine wine-drinking world is waking up to the treasures of South Africa. Yet the industry has many issues left to resolve. Bulk wine still dominates, which drags down the national reputation. Because of this, profitability is a huge problem for both producers and grapegrowers, who struggle to command sustainable sums for their products. Racial inequity continues to cause strife, and political and economic instability has resulted in a fair amount of market insecurity. Yet an increasing number of social and economic programs are being put in place to correct for past ills, and the high quality and often undeniable individuality of contemporary wines are attracting new markets and demographics, many of whom lack the biases of previous generations and are happy to pay a premium for South African wine. This is good news for the industry as a whole, but especially for the country’s top tier of producers, whose efforts deserve a place among the world’s most celebrated wines.

History of South Africa

Base Camp to Phylloxera: 1652–1902

Europeans first settled in South Africa in 1652, when the Dutch government sent a group of less than 100 men to establish an outpost. This small encampment, located roughly halfway between the Netherlands and India, was intended as a refilling station, a place for Dutch East India Company ships to dock and replenish their supplies. At this point, the Dutch controlled the most formidable of the European merchant fleets, which made them very wealthy and very powerful. They were also very thirsty. And so, concurrent to their makeover of marshy Bordeaux, they planted the first vines in South Africa.

The original cuttings were requested by Commander Jan van Riebeeck, who oversaw the first crush in 1659. From his experience as a ship surgeon, he felt that wine would benefit the sailors’ health. The vines were a mix of white varieties, presaging South Africa’s long allegiance to white wine. This original vineyard, located along the coast, was eventually judged to be poorly situated, and the vines were moved to a more favorable location, which today is under pavement as a suburb of Cape Town.

Over time, the settlement grew to become a proper colony, which displaced the native tribes of the Khoikhoi and San. As the Dutch population swelled, so did South Africa’s vineyard, and wine grapes were soon grown throughout Stellenbosch and Paarl. The work on these vineyards and farms was mostly executed by slaves and free burghers—former employees of the Dutch East India Company that were moved to South Africa to work as laborers in exchange for land. 

By many accounts, the first South African wines were something of a disappointment. Though the parched sailors were undoubtedly grateful, early attempts to export back to Europe were met with disapproval, and in 1688, South Africa was asked to send no more wine. But two events would happen shortly after to turn the country’s vinous reputation around.

In 1679, Commander Simon van der Stel arrived in South Africa. He was appointed the area’s first governor in 1691. Because of his high station, he was granted favorable lands. Among them was a property he would grow to become Constantia. Here, he developed the Cape’s largest vineyard, and the sweet wine produced there became known as the “governor’s wine.” It eventually took on the name of the estate, and Constantia developed into an international sensation—a legacy that is still going strong more than 300 years later.

The second important development was the arrival of the French. In the late 1680s and early 1690s, Huguenots, a religious group of French protestants fleeing Catholic persecution, landed in South Africa. Most settled in a picturesque nook between the Stellenbosch and Paarl regions. This area became known as Franschhoek, or “French Quarter,” in honor of its new inhabitants. Though this French influx was long believed to have injected the wine scene with some much-needed expertise, South African wine writer and expert Tim James believes that this influence has been overstated.

The wine industry grew steadily during the 1700s, with the most important products being dessert and fortified wines such as Constantia, Cape Madeira, Cape Port, Steen, and Hanepoot. Brandy grew to become an important export as well, and as it was generally distilled from white wine, plantings of white grapes—especially Semillon (here spelled without the accent, and historically called Greengrape)—swelled.

As the close of the 18^th century approached, the political landscape changed dramatically, which had massive repercussions for the wine industry. In 1795, the British invaded and occupied South Africa. Though from 1803 to 1806 the Dutch managed to wrest it back, the Cape colony was officially ceded to Britain in 1814. The Dutch, meanwhile, retreated to their other strongholds in the north and east of the Cape area.

Vineyard development spiked with the arrival of the British, an investment that was rewarded in 1813 when they lowered import tariffs on South African wine. This, in turn, encouraged even more planting, and land under vine tripled between 1795 and 1825. The vast majority of viticulture was confined to Stellenbosch, Paarl, and the area immediately surrounding Cape Town. Interior regions such as Robertson and the Swartland wouldn’t be planted until the 1870s, as the railway system extended inland.

The South African wine industry’s fortunes changed again in 1825, as Britain began moving away from preferential tariffs. There was an immediate negative impact on export volume and value, as well as a national grape glut. This was financially problematic for many farmers, who took another economic hit in 1834 when the British abolished slavery, doing away with their free labor. The handful of decades that followed were relatively bleak for the wine industry. In 1861, Britain signed a treaty reducing tariffs on French wine, driving further decline in South African exports. With the exception of Constantia, which had by this time been subdivided into a handful of independent estates, wine quality was routinely condemned, and a growing percentage of the grape harvest was sent to distillers each year to be processed as brandy. 

Despite these hardships, area under vine continued to grow, and another glut seemed on the horizon until phylloxera was discovered in South Africa in 1886. Even though the Europeans had already solved for the bug by grafting onto American rootstocks, much damage was done. Over a quarter of South Africa’s vineyard land was destroyed, and widespread replanting was delayed by rootstock shortages.

To add insult to injury, the phylloxera epidemic was immediately followed by the Boer War, a struggle between the Dutch- and British-held South African colonies, which raged from 1899 until British victory in 1902. One result of the fighting was a unification of the various South African colonies into one nation; the other result was an economic depression.

Depression & KWV Stronghold Years: 1905–1950s

In response to the depression and yet another grape glut, the South African government ordered an inquiry into the status of its wine-producing regions in 1905. The investigating commission’s report recommended the establishment of cooperatives, and nine were founded the following year. This is a common strategy employed by wine regions around the world during times of economic hardship—cooperatives streamline production, centralize resources, and provide stable income for farmers. 

When several of the original cooperatives failed only a few years after launching, Charles Kohler came forward with a bold idea. He believed that regional cooperatives weren’t sufficient—only total centralization would fix South Africa’s stuttering wine industry. In 1918, he established the KWV, which became a mutual cooperative society in 1923. 

Aside from a handful of holdouts in Constantia and Stellenbosch, nearly all of South Africa’s “wine farmers” signed up to become part of the KWV. The original deal was that the KWV would not sell wine directly to consumers, so long as the merchants only bought their wine from the KWV. In addition, the KWV would effectively monopolize the export market, which, despite the tariffs, was still dominated by Britain. This arrangement stood for a number of years, but over time, the KWV was granted regulatory powers over the industry, much to the chagrin of the merchants. 

The KWV produced very little wine itself—its role was more to oversee the contracts between the growers and the co-ops—and one of its first acts was to establish minimum mandatory pricing for grapes. This was obviously beneficial to the farmers, but the unforeseen and perhaps inevitable outcome was overcropping and overproduction. In response, the KWV set production maximums and agreed to purchase surplus for distillation. Later, it required that each vineyard have a government-issued quota in order to operate. These quotas were given to operating wine farms between 1960 and 1970, and very few others were issued thereafter. By favoring existing farms, the KWV effectively forbid the development of new wine regions, freezing South Africa’s viticulture into its mid-1900s configuration, which, with the exception of Stellenbosch and Constantia, had become centered around the hotter interior regions where high yields and reliable ripening came easily. 

With a veritable army of growers in its ranks, the KWV was extremely influential, but its power grew along with the shifting political tides. In large part because all of the wine farms were owned by white Afrikaners, the KWV leadership had close ties to the National Party, which came to power in 1948 and formalized apartheid.

The wine industry stagnated during the KWV years. Not only could new wine regions not be developed, but there was virtually no research or improvement in viticulture and enology (though they did make some technical advances in the pursuit of higher yields, such as studying the role of yeast available nitrogen, or YAN). Virus was rampant in the vineyards, high-yielding clones were given preference, and importing new clones or varieties was such a bureaucratic nightmare that it was effectively impossible. Aside from the introduction of cold fermentation in the 1950s, which allowed for the production of crisp white wines for the first time, cellar technology fell well behind the rest of the world. In fact, so much wine and fruit were sent to the distillers each year that the KWV became the world’s largest seller of brandy for a considerable stretch of time.

Quality Revolution to Political Revolution: 1960s­–Early 1990s

During apartheid, many countries turned against South Africa. International sanctions began in the 1960s, and the early loss of the Canadian and Scandinavian markets was a blow to South Africa’s wine industry. Though it became increasingly difficult to export, certain markets remained open, at least for a while. In fact, South Africa’s appellation system, the Wine of Origin scheme, was introduced in 1973 specifically to complement EU (then EEC) wine laws and ease trade.

Despite its deepening isolation, the South African wine industry started to evolve in a positive direction in the 1960s and ’70s. A small group of quality-minded private producers began to set up shop independent of the KWV. At first, they were confined to the established premium regions of Paarl, Stellenbosch, and Constantia, but their influence began to spread slowly outward. Among the practices they inspired were a more careful approach to cellar hygiene, the use of French oak barrels, and a closer look at international varieties. Notably, the first Cape Bordeaux blend (Hofmeyr) debuted in 1979. Even so, that same year, 60% of the national grape harvest went toward brandy production.

A handful of these independent producers began to openly rebel against the KWV. One of the biggest complaints during the KWV years was the lack of quality plant material, both in terms of clones and varieties. Due to cumbersome bureaucracy and strict quarantine laws, it could take several years to a decade to import new stock. More than one producer resorted to smuggling. Bringing in illegal “suitcase clones” is difficult in most countries, but it was measurably harder in South Africa given the rigorous account-keeping of the KWV. When Auxerrois—a grape that had never been cultivated by any South African nursery—was discovered in some vineyards, government officials realized what was afoot. In 1986, they launched an inquiry into the smuggling activities of Danie de Wet, Peter Finlayson, and others. Desperate for quality Chardonnay, these winemakers had inadvertently included some Auxerrois cuttings in their illicit haul. The happy if surprising result of the investigation was that the KWV began to relax its quarantine laws. It was also in 1986 that the Vine Improvement Association was founded to address issues around quality plant material, and this organization remains a leader in plant certification for vine propagation. 

In a similar vein, Timothy Hamilton Russell acted against the KWV by developing two vineyards in the cool coastal region of Hemel-en-Aarde in the late 1970s. The vineyard that contained his Pinot Noir had no quota, which made its very existence illegal, but the wines it produced were of high quality and attracted considerable attention. KWV officials once forced him to dump 5,000 liters of the wine down the drain but later capitulated to public pressure and decreed that unused quotas could be purchased or transferred to other farms. But while this opened the door to the development of small or independent producers, the KWV maintained a stranglehold on distribution networks, which made it difficult for such operations to sell their wine.

Other key developments in the 1980s foreshadowed even greater change. In 1980, the now-essential Platter’s South African Wine Guide was launched. A yearly publication that rates wines and discusses trends and vintage characteristics, the Platter’s Guide provided a much-needed critical perspective and celebrated the producers who were eschewing quantity for quality. Those same producers decided to band together, share information, and provide support, establishing the Cape Winemakers Guild in 1982. What started as an elite club has become a veritable force, with over 45 members in its ranks as of 2020.

The KWV’s grip on the South African wine industry had relaxed during the 1970s and ’80s, and it let go altogether in the 1990s. In 1992, the quota system was eliminated, which allowed for both the expansion of existing areas and the development of the cooler coastal regions. Two years later, the KWV also abolished the minimum pricing system. That same year, 1994, South Africa held its first non-racial democratic election. This marked the end of apartheid, which completely transformed the nation’s social and political landscape. It also opened up South Africa to the rest of the world.

Life After Apartheid: 1994 & Onward

Being able to participate freely in the international market led to rapid modernization in the South African wine industry. As Peter de Wet from Excelsior explains, because of South Africa’s long seclusion, “Styles didn’t evolve. We missed the global 1980s movement where the red wine plantings surged and people went to drier wines. It was only in the 1990s when we started exporting again, and first, we had to figure out what the world was drinking. We didn’t know because we were so isolated. We were an island economy; we drank what we produced.” 

Per Tim James, the first few years following the end of apartheid weren’t necessarily easy for the industry. Some quality issues, specifically over-acidification and over-oaking, persisted. Nonetheless, producers seemed to collectively rush through this awkward adolescent phase rather rapidly. The bigger challenges, James asserts, were the acquisition of clean vine material and the planting of the right variety in the right place. These are points where South Africa has made great strides, though virus is still a major issue. 

During the 2000s, a new generation of winemakers invigorated by international experience in both the Old and New Worlds emerged. Some are working to introduce new wines, varieties, and styles to South Africa, while others are focusing on revitalizing the traditions of their homeland. And while there has been a great deal of investment in new winegrowing regions such as the Hemel-en-Aarde, established areas such as Stellenbosch have also experienced impressive growth and refinement. Even the hotter inland areas that were historically associated with bulk wine have seen an uptick in small producers focused on quality. Perhaps the best example of this is the Swartland, whose “revolution” of quality has been one of the more widely covered trends in South African wine.

Contemporary Market Landscape

Though quality has risen dramatically since the early 1990s, the South African wine industry still faces many challenges. Domestically, per capita consumption has remained consistently low (in 2018, wine was only 7.47 liters to beer’s 55.46 liters). Exports have taken up the slack, however, soaring from 6.2% in 1993 to 51% in 2018.

Even so, profitability is an issue. According to VinPro, a nonprofit advisory agency for the South African wine industry, in 2016, only 15% of South Africa’s winegrowers were profitable, 49% enjoyed low profits, 6% broke even, and 30% reported losses. Because of this, vine uprooting has surpassed planting every year for more than a decade. And while certainly some of those vineyards were poorly situated or planted to ill-suited varieties, great vineyards have been lost as well. 

Part of the problem lies with bulk wine. In 2018, over 50% of South Africa’s national production was exported as bulk—much of it destined for the bottom shelf of Europe’s supermarkets—and Vinpro reports that 14% of the white bulk wine was sold for less than the price of water. There are still about 50 cooperatives operating in South Africa (known locally as “producer cellars”), but though bulk wine is still a massive part of the picture, the focus is shifting to private producers. Yet growers in more premium regions such as Stellenbosch and Swartland aren’t necessarily better off. Even though they farm for lower yields and better quality, the grape prices aren’t reliably higher.

In 1993, the year before apartheid’s end, South Africa could only count 170 private producers; by 2018, there were 468. This seems like a massive improvement—and it is—but the figures are misleading. First of all, the number of private producers is actually down from its peak of 524 in 2009, and second, cooperatives are not the only ones who produce bulk wine. Some of the country’s biggest wineries are technically considered private. Even the KWV lobbied to become a private company in 1997, a request the government only granted after forcing it to set up a trust of 477 million Rand for various wine industry purposes. And Distell, which functions as a kind of négociant, currently accounts for around 30% of South Africa’s total still and sparkling production. 

Most of the private wine cellars are located in the more premium regions such as Stellenbosch (168) and Paarl (109), with the next most populated areas being the Cape South Coast (55), Robertson (37), and the Swartland (28). By contrast, most of the cooperatives are located in the hotter interior, specifically Breedekloof (11), Robertson (9), and Worcester (8).

But the growers far outnumber the producers. According to SAWIS, in 2018, there were 2,873 grapegrowers (down from 3,029 the year before). Taken together, they farm approximately 93,000 hectares of wine grapes, which makes South Africa the 15th most widely planted nation in the world. With around 825 million liters of resulting wine, the country ranks ninth in global production.

Climate & Geography

South Africa is one of the most geologically distinct wine regions in the world. Located at the southernmost tip of the African continent, the major winegrowing areas bracket the conjunction point of two oceans: the Atlantic and the Indian. These massive bodies of water have a profound influence on the vineyards, especially the Atlantic, with its frigid Benguela Current that swirls up from Antarctica. Cool, moist ocean breezes bathe the coastal vines, slowing the growing season. During the spring and summer, the occasionally fierce Cape Doctor wind blows in from the southeast. At its most intense, it can damage vines by breaking canes and interfering with fruit set. But its presence is typically benevolent, helping to stave off disease and pests in the vineyards.

South Africa is also unique from a geographic perspective. A braid of mountains traces the coastline, forming an L-shape. These mountains carve the country into climatic zones. The coastal side of the ranges can be rather cool and rainy, the areas furthest inland are notably hot and dry, and in between, a series of valleys forms a temperate middle ground. Vineyard elevations range from 50 to 600 meters. The overall classification of the South African climate is Mediterranean, with long, dry summers and rain generally confined to the winter months.

Access to water is an increasing threat. A severe water shortage in 2017 and 2018 led Cape Town to plan for “Day Zero,” referring to the possibility of major dams falling below 13.5% capacity. This was narrowly avoided through significant water restrictions and summer rains in 2018. Yet water remains a major concern.

Unlike many of the world’s wine regions, South Africa’s soils are relatively simple and very old. The country has been geologically stable for millennia—no glacial or volcanic activity and very few earthquakes. Most of the mountains are made of granite capped by sandstone, and these bedrocks have decomposed to form the basis of South Africa’s soils. Quartz is scattered throughout nearly all of the major winegrowing regions, and pockets of slate and shale can also be found.

The Grapes of South Africa

Due to the major roles played by brandy and dessert wine throughout its history, South Africa has long been dominated by white grapes. Semillon took the early lead. According to research done by Tim James, the grape enjoyed a near monopoly in South African vineyards during the 1800s. The phylloxera replant that came at the end of the century provided an opportunity to diversify, and a 1909 census saw its dominion knocked back to 40%. For the most part, it was other white varieties—specifically Palomino, Chenin Blanc, and Muscat—that rose to fill the void.

The dominant red of South Africa’s past was Cinsaut, the local spelling of Cinsault and historically known as Hermitage. The high-yielding grape was introduced to the country in the 1880s, and by 1909, it was the third most widely planted variety. Today, only isolated patches can be found, and its role as the national red variety has been usurped by Pinotage, which was created in 1925. Similarly, Chenin Blanc (locally known as Steen) grew to supplant Semillon and today is the most widely planted variety in the country, though its area under vine is in constant decline.

White Grapes

Chardonnay: During the apartheid years, the preference for quantity over quality showed in the vineyards. Clones were selected for their yields rather than their organoleptic properties, and virus was rampant. Chardonnay was known to be especially virus-laden in the 1970s and ’80s. Importing new material was technically possible during this time, but the process lasted years, if not decades. In frustration, many vintners turned to smuggling.

As previously mentioned, at some point in the late 1970s, winemakers Peter Finlayson, Danie De Wet, and a few others conspired to sneak some illicit Chardonnay cuttings into South Africa. They had first arranged for the dormant branches to be sent from Switzerland to Swaziland. From there, the cuttings were brought across the border in the bed of a logging truck. Finlayson and his colleagues passed these off as if they were from the local nursery, but there was one problem. Somehow, a few Auxerrois cuttings had been included in the haul, and Auxerrois had never before been seen in South Africa. When the KWV noticed, it launched an official inquiry in 1986. At its conclusion, instead of prosecuting the perpetrators, the KWV elected to relax its strict quarantine policies.

Today, Chardonnay is a big part of South Africa’s winelands. A good proportion goes to bulk, but a fair amount is directed into the country’s robust traditional method sparkling production, known as Méthode Cap Classique, or MCC. A smaller amount is crafted into terroir-driven still wines, and interest in this category is rising sharply. The best fruit for these wines comes from newly developed coastal regions such as Hemel-en-Aarde, Elim, and Elgin, though De Wet is also making ageworthy wines from the limestone-rich soils of the Robertson Valley. In Elgin, where the potential is arguably the highest, viticulture is at risk as farmers are rapidly replacing grapes with apples, a significantly more profitable crop. 

7.2% of vineyard land in 2018
6,661 hectares

Chenin Blanc: Chenin Blanc is the most widely planted variety in South Africa and arguably the most exciting. The grape has a long history in the country, where it was traditionally known as Steen (Steen was not officially recognized as being the same as Chenin Blanc until 1963).

Chenin Blanc came early to South Africa, but plantings didn’t accelerate until after phylloxera tore through the country’s swaths of Semillon. Being naturally vigorous and drought resistant, Chenin Blanc was a natural fit and grew to form the basis of much of the country’s brandy. Old growers remember a time when 40 to 60 tons per hectare was common, but while perhaps thrilling to behold, such high crop loads and the assuredly poor quality that resulted did little to elevate the variety’s reputation.

Plantings of Chenin Blanc got another boost in the 1950s when the arrival of refrigerated tanks changed the way that wines were manufactured. Suddenly, crisp white table wines and fruity non-fortified dessert wines could be produced with relative ease. A semi-sweet Chenin-based wine called Lieberstein debuted in 1959 and was enormously popular on the domestic market. Spurred on by this success as well as its easy cultivation, Chenin Blanc grew to become the most widely planted variety in South Africa.

After apartheid ended, many enthusiastic producers eager to participate in the global market ripped up their Chenin Blanc in favor of more “contemporary” varieties such as Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. This trend continues today—yet there is also a counter-trend in favor of Chenin Blanc that is correcting for some of this. Of the 1,500 hectares of new vines that were planted in 2018, 242 were Chenin Blanc.

Old vine Chenin is one of the viticultural treasures of South Africa, and it has been given fresh prestige through the work of the new generation of producers. For the most part, these vines are head-trained and dry-farmed, relegated to hotter interior regions. While many South African Chenins can be alcoholic and rich, the best are concentrated and complex with a pithy, phenolic character and a remarkable ability to age. Premium examples are often aged, if not also fermented, in oak, a portion of which is typically new. It is not uncommon for lees aging, bâtonnage, and even malolactic fermentation to be employed for greater texture. 

18.5% of vineyard land in 2018
17,242 hectares

Colombard: For hundreds of years, the high-yielding and highly acidic Colombard and Chenin Blanc were the main grapes of South Africa’s brandy industry. As brandy production has declined, so have the plantings of Chenin Blanc and Colombard. However, unlike with Chenin Blanc, nobody is bothering to replant the Colombard, and relatively little fuss is being made about its old vine vineyards. 

11.6% of vineyard land in 2018
10,821 hectares

Muscat: Muscat has a long history in South Africa. Not only was it among the Cape’s original vinifera plantings, it was also one of the grapes used for the country’s first celebrity wine: Constantia. The original Constantia was unusual for its time in that it was typically produced without fortification. That tradition continues today with Klein Constantia’s Vin de Constance reigning as the most famous of the country’s sweet wines.

Inside South Africa, Muscadel (unrelated to the Bordelais grape Muscadelle) is the local name for Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, while Hanepoot is the name for Muscat of Alexandria. When Hanepoot is fortified prior to fermentation, the result is the vin de liqueur Jerepigo. 

Hanepoot (Muscat of Alexandria):
1.8% of vineyard land in 2018
1,665 hectares

Muscadel (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains):
0.9% of vineyard land in 2018
825 hectares

Sauvignon Blanc: The 1909 post-phylloxera census reflects Sauvignon Blanc’s long history in South Africa, but the grape’s popularity was slow to develop. The first varietal Sauvignon Blanc wasn’t bottled until 1977, and the first Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend didn’t appear until 2001. Today, however, it is the most rapidly expanding variety in the country.

As of 2018, Sauvignon Blanc accounts for over 10% of all planted area. It is grown in nearly every appellation, but about a third of it is located in Stellenbosch. There, producers position it as the white foil to their high-end Cabernet Sauvignon, à la Napa Valley. Sauvignon Blanc is also the most widely planted variety in cool Constantia, where it is often blended with Semillon and occasionally aged in oak. The national style tends to favor the green and grassy side of the grape and is rarely tropical.

10.3% of vineyard land in 2018
9,533 hectares

Semillon: For much of the 18^th and 19^th centuries, the prolific and disease-resistant Semillon was the most widely planted variety in South Africa. Originally known as Greengrape, it was a key component of the country’s early dessert wine and brandy production. Eventually, it was supplanted by Chenin Blanc as the most planted grape in the Cape, perhaps because of Chenin Blanc’s superior ability to deal with the heat and drought of the interior regions.

Today, much of the remaining Semillon is confined to the coast. Some small patches of old vines can still be found in Franschhoek and Stellenbosch, where they are occasionally honored with their own bottlings, but Semillon is most often used as a blending partner for Sauvignon Blanc. Interestingly, South Africa is home to the unusual red mutation of Semillon, called Semillon Gris. According to Eben Sadie, the French at one point had the same mutation and culled it, and now producers are calling, begging for cuttings. 

1.1% of vineyard land in 2018
1,064 hectares

Other Whites:

3.8% of vineyard land in 2018
3,594 hectares

Red Grapes

Cabernet Sauvignon: As all over the world, Cabernet Sauvignon has become incredibly important to the South African wine industry. It was first documented in 1894 but played a minor role until the 1960s and ’70s, when the movement of independent (that is, non-cooperative) producers began to gain momentum. As these wineries were quality, not bulk, minded, Cabernet Sauvignon’s reputation swelled along with theirs.

Today, it is among the most widely planted grapes in South Africa. Grown across the country, its best-known wines hail from the prestige regions of Paarl, Franschhoek, and Stellenbosch. Stellenbosch is especially successful with the variety and seems to have fashioned itself in the mold of Napa Valley. Most of the country’s posh tasting rooms are located there, making it the hub for South Africa’s wine tourism, and the jewel in the crown of their portfolios is inevitably a rich and powerful, modernly constructed Cabernet Sauvignon.

However, the Cabernet Sauvignons from even the flashiest producers are restrained by contemporary standards. This is due in part to the Wine Commission’s tasting panel, as qualities such as “over-oaked” are considered a flaw, and in part to the weak Rand driving up barrel prices. 

11% of vineyard land in 2018
10,233 hectares

Cinsaut (Cinsault): Cinsaut is a vigorous variety that produces generous clusters of large black grapes. In South Africa, it is not uncommon to see the variety bottled as jelly or consumed as table grapes. Cinsaut was introduced to South Africa in the 1880s under the name Hermitage. It swiftly took over the landscape and by 1909 was the third most planted variety in the country. This statistical dominance would end during the rise of Chenin Blanc, and today Cinsaut represents less than 2% of national vineyard acreage.

As new plantings are rare, the vines exist mostly in ancient form. These gnarly old patches of dry-farmed, head-trained vines are enjoying a surge in popularity thanks to the new wave of producers. 

1.8% of vineyard land in 2018
1,713 hectares

Pinot Noir: As of 2018, Pinot Noir occupies comparatively little of South Africa’s viticultural landscape, but many see it as a future star. Though inland South Africa is fairly hot and dry, the more extreme coastal locations are really quite marginal, especially those at the southernmost tip of the continent.

According to Peter Finlayson, Pinot Noir has been in South Africa for several decades, but only a single clone was available: the Swiss sparkling clone BK5. Historically, and even today, most of the country’s Pinot Noir was planted in service of MCC production. What’s new and arguably more exciting is the rise of high-quality still Pinot Noir from areas such as Hemel-en-Aarde and Elgin, inspired in no small part by Finlayson’s work at Hamilton Russell in the 1980s and ’90s.

1.3% of vineyard land in 2018
1,176 hectares

Pinotage: Pinotage is a fascinating and misunderstood grape with a complex history. Many consumers regard it with some level of contempt, citing its notoriously ferocious tannins and industrial aromas. But its champions insist that those markers are less inherent to the grape than they are indicative of poor farming and careless handling in the cellar. Recent tastings show that with the proper care, Pinotage can yield quite charming and attractive wines. The challenge now will be to convince the leagues of doubting consumers and journalists. 

Pinotage was created in 1925 when Dr. Abraham Izak Perold, professor at the University of Stellenbosch, swabbed the pollen from Pinot Noir onto a Cinsaut flower. The idea was to somehow marry the best qualities of the two parents into a superior offspring, perhaps one with the refined nature of Pinot Noir and the work ethic of Cinsaut. The seed was planted, but the resulting vines were very nearly forgotten, as Perold changed jobs shortly thereafter. The plants were eventually rediscovered, and the first experimental batches of wine were made in 1941.

Two of the earliest wineries to plant and promote the variety were Kanonkop and Bellevue in Stellenbosch. The domestic press that their exciting new wine garnered in the 1960s encouraged a rush of planting. And since Pinotage was thick skinned, drought resistant, and high yielding, it was planted far and wide. Pinotage was quickly treated as the native grape of South Africa, which technically it is. But the export market was not as enthusiastic. The British media was especially hard on Pinotage, likening it to “rusty nails” or “paint thinner,” which caused some confusion and insecurity on the part of the farmers.

Part of the problem, modern champions attest, was that Pinotage was originally planted on the hottest parts of a farm, and the variety responds better in cooler microclimates. Isoamyl acetate (the source of paint thinner aromas) can develop if vines experience water stress or high temperatures at harvest. Likewise, the burnt rubber smell many detect in Pinotage is thought to be related to viral disease in the vineyards, though causes are unclear and research on this topic is still underway. High cropping, long a point of contention among South African grapegrowers, certainly served to exacerbate the grape’s herbal and bloody aromas. Aggressive extraction techniques in the cellar yielded the toothsome tannins, and the wines’ tendency toward high pH increased the risk of microbial spoilage.

As the notion that the polarizing qualities of Pinotage tend to be the fault of growers and winemakers, not necessarily the variety, spreads throughout South Africa, plantings are again on the rise. It seems that lower yields and a cooler climate make for a friendlier aromatic signature, and gentle handling in the cellar can coax out the Pinot Noir side of its parentage. There are now even whole-cluster examples, made to be enjoyed with a light chill. Pinotage is also the major blending variety in Cape Blends (a well-established term, though not legally regulated). A unique style that has found some popularity among consumers is referred to as Coffee Pinotage. Its coffee aroma is due to the compound furfurylthiol, which is formed from furfural released by toasted staves during fermentation.

While new styles may take a while to catch on, it seems that Pinotage may one day evolve from national joke to national pride.

7.3% of vineyard land in 2018
6,791 hectares

Shiraz (Syrah): Shiraz has a long history in South Africa, having first been planted in Groot Constantia in the 1890s. Today, it is grown all across the country, in warm and cool regions alike. Because its popularity first spiked during the Aussie-crazed 1990s, most producers label their wine as Shiraz. Those winemakers who favor a more restrained style or look specifically to the Rhône for inspiration, however, often label their wines as Syrah.

10.2% of vineyard land in 2018
9,497 hectares

Other Reds:

13.2% of vineyard land in 2018
12,207 hectares

South African Wine Law

South Africa’s wine laws and appellation system are the most detailed and strict in the New World. They are also among the oldest, having debuted in 1973. By comparison, the United States didn’t begin drawing appellations until the 1980s, and even then only began with a handful. The architects of South Africa’s Wine of Origin (WO) scheme took the opposite strategy. Not wanting to begin a piecemeal process, they carved the entire country up into districts and regions. Wards were added in 1994, and 2004 saw the advent of single vineyards. In order to list a single vineyard on a label, the producer must petition the government to send inspectors and register the site, which is not to exceed six hectares.

The push to establish codified wine laws started in 1969. Despite many international sanctions, the United Kingdom remained a critical export market for South Africa, and that year, the UK was greenlighted to begin negotiations to join Europe’s Economic Community. Britain’s entry meant that it would likely have to adopt continental Europe’s wine legislation, a fact which was not lost on the South African government. It acted fast and managed to launch a comprehensive appellation system in 1973, the very year that the UK joined the EC. The most important element of the original legislature was the creation of an estate category, which gave small producers an avenue to differentiate their wines from the mass creations dominating the market. These wines must be made from grapes farmed as a unit (bordering farms can be included), then produced and bottled in a cellar on the same estate. Today, there are over 200 estate wines. 

The initial rules stated that a wine had only to possess 30% of a given variety to list it on the label, but today that number is 85%. Minimum vintage requirement is also 85%, but place of origin is a very strict 100%. As Adam Mason from Mulderbosch explains, “If you blend in even a liter from a different appellation, you can’t call your wine Stellenbosch anymore.” Furthermore, a blended wine is not required to detail its varietal composition, but if it does, the grapes must be listed in order of dominance, and if one variety is mentioned, they all must be included. The exception to this is if two or more of the grapes combine to form over 85% of the blend, and each contributing variety represents at least 20%. For example, a wine that contained 60% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Semillon, and 10% Muscadel could legally be labeled as simply Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon. 

Despite its European-like intricacy, the WO scheme makes no attempt to control farming practices or winemaking techniques, but it does submit all wines to a chemical analysis and rigorous tasting test before certification is granted. This tasting panel is very powerful; without its approval, a wine cannot list its vintage, variety, or region on the label. The disqualifying flaws span from the flagrant to the subtle, such as exaggerated oak or “lack of typicity.” But while this tasting is meant to be an agent of quality control, it has been criticized for curtailing creativity. For example, as the natural wine movement gained steam, many skin-contact white wines or low-sulfur reds flunked the tasting. Producers, armed with letters from importers stating that customers in their markets actually wanted such wines, lobbied the commission, which eventually relented and created a natural wine category. This demonstrates that the organization is capable of adapting in service of consumer needs, but it also means that South Africa can be slower than other markets to respond to trends.

Regions of South Africa

The South African approach to drawing appellations is both simple and complicated. The largest areas are called geographical units, many of which contain regions, which contain districts, which contain wards—the smallest of the appellations. This seems easy enough to grasp, but exceptions abound.

At the most macro level, there are seven geographical units in South Africa where wine production occurs: Western Cape, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, Limpopo, North West, Free State, and KwaZulu-Natal. Very little viticulture is found outside the Western Cape geographical unit, and the few wines that emerge are hardly regarded for their quality. But a handful of appellations have been drawn.

The Western Cape geographical unit has been divided into five regions: the Breede River Valley, Klein Karoo, Olifants River, Cape South Coast, and the Coastal Region. Speaking broadly, the first three are associated with bulk wine, while Cape South Coast and the Coastal Region are known for fine wine production. That is, of course, a generalization; some truly great wines come from Robertson in the Breede River Valley and co-ops still have a presence in Paarl. Until recently, there was also a sixth region called Boberg, which was rather unusual. Unlike the other regions, it applied only to fortified wine specifically produced from the Coastal Region’s districts of Paarl, Franschhoek, Tulbagh, and Wellington. This was something of a vestigial appellation, as it was not widely seen on labels. Boberg was repealed in February of 2019. Cape Ruby, Cape Vintage, and Cape Tawny are far more popular names for this Port-like type of wine, and these terms have the added benefit of not being confined to any particular viticultural area.

Bottling a wine with a ward designation requires that 100% of the fruit come from that ward. Because of this, if wines from two wards within the same district are blended, only the district can be listed on the label; the same applies to wines from different districts within the same region. For example, if a winemaker combines fruit from Stellenbosch and Paarl, then it can only be labeled as Coastal Region. Blending between regions is more complicated; if fruit from the Cape South Coast and Coastal Region are combined, that wine is eligible for the overarching Cape Coastal designation, established in 2017. But if fruit from any other two regions are blended, that wine can only be labeled as Western Cape. This is the largest catch-all appellation allowed in South African wine, and though its reputation is for big, cheap blends, some very fine wine is being labeled as Western Cape.

Exceptions abound within the WO scheme. For example, it is not necessary for a ward to be within a district. There are, in fact, 18 wards that lie outside of the established districts of the Western Cape geographical unit. There are also many cross-regional categories. Wards are added, tweaked, or redrawn somewhat regularly. This is a serious and intensive process that can last years and involves experts, winemakers, viticulturalists, and scientists.

The coastal wards are most subject to change as they are relatively new and being developed at a dramatic pace. In February 2020, an entirely new WO category was formed outside of the existing categories of geographic unit, region, district, and ward: the Cape West Coast subregion now exists to identify areas more "coastal" in character. It encompasses the districts of Darling, Lutzville Valley, and the western half of Swartland, plus the wards of Groenekloof, St. Helena Bay, Lamberts Bay, Bamboes Bay, and Koekenaap.

The following is a breakdown of all of the regions within the Western Cape geographical unit. The most important districts and wards are also discussed.

The Breede River is one of the widest rivers in South Africa, and the valleys formed by it and its tributaries are equally broad. The large Breede River Valley region is separated from the Coastal Region and the Cape South Coast by a series of mountain chains. These mountains block much of the ocean’s influence, making for a fairly hot and dry climate, though a steady wind blows daily that is both a blessing (mildew abatement) and a curse (desiccation). This wind, coupled with the lack of rain, makes irrigation essential in the minds of many growers.

Most viticulture is confined to the valley floor—flat and expansive stretches of land that feature fertile soils of sand and loam. The foothills of the mountains have soils of sandstone, shale, and schist, but vineyards are rare. Only in the past 20 years has a small collective of ambitious growers expanded into the hillsides.

Though it contains relatively few wineries, the Breede River Valley grows more grapes (34.29% of South Africa’s 2018 total) and produces more wine than any other region. This is because it is, by and large, home to massive operations, many of which are cooperatives. Vines are cropped heavy, and much of the local production is sent to the distillers to become brandy. However, the scene is starting to change, with a handful of smaller producers pursuing artisan wines.

The Breede River Valley region is divided into three districts: Breedekloof (which, confusingly, means “Breede River Valley” in Afrikaans) in the west, Worcester in the middle and the north, and Robertson in the southeast.

Breedekloof District

Because of the lingering importance of the brandy industry, the Breedekloof district is mostly dedicated to white varieties, with nearly 2,800 of its 12,604 hectares planted to Chenin Blanc. The next most widely cultivated grapes are Colombard (1,893 hectares), Sauvignon Blanc (1,184 hectares), Pinotage (920 hectares), and Chardonnay (806 hectares). Its wards are unlikely to appear on a wine label, but Slanghoek, with its somewhat cooler microclimate, is thought to have great potential. 

This area is home to mostly large-scale operations, but a dozen smaller wineries have recently banded together as the Breedekloof Makers. Their goal is to share information and resources and to move away from the big blend thinking of the region in a bid to understand the terroir potential of small-lot wines. Among them is Olifantsberg, a tiny estate dedicated to Rhône varieties. It serves as a model as to the leaps in quality available in moving off of the valley floor and to the mountain slopes.

Wards: Goudini, Slanghoek

Robertson District

Robertson may be located in the warm Breede River Valley, but its position in the southwest makes it the coolest of three districts. The valley actually opens up facing coastal Malgas, allowing the influx of cooling ocean breezes. Because of this, and certainly because of its soils, it is home to over 25% of South Africa’s Chardonnay.

For several generations, an important industry in Robertson has been the raising of race horses. These horses are known to be especially sturdy and fast, which was attributed to the area’s soil. Because Robertson possesses massive pockets of limestone (fairly unique in South Africa), the grass and hay grown are rich in calcium. This strengthened the bones of the horses, which improved their endurance and speed. Though still active, Robertson’s horse breeding industry has faded recently and has largely been replaced with viticulture. Today, one can hardly find a swath of ground that isn’t carpeted in vines.

Much of Robertson’s Chardonnay goes to bulk or inexpensive wine production, but an increasing amount of it is being redirected to finer purposes. De Wetshof produces a range of single-vineyard and single-soil Chardonnays that have brought considerable critical acclaim to the region. Sparkling wine is another huge part of the landscape, with nearly a dozen of South Africa’s top MCC producers located here. Among them is the biggest, Graham Beck, which is also widely considered the category leader.

In addition to Chardonnay (1,684 hectares), Robertson is planted to Colombard (1,982 hectares), Sauvignon Blanc (1,573 hectares), Chenin Blanc (1,546 hectares), Cabernet Sauvignon (1,296 hectares), and Shiraz (953 hectares). This list demonstrates that, while brandy and fortified wine production are still significant parts of regional operations, Robertson has had an easier time realigning itself to so-called noble varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz than other interior areas. But whatever the pedigree, a considerable amount of Robertson fruit leaves the district, used to pad or improve blends bottled under the Western Cape appellation. 

Wards: Agterkliphoogte, Ashton, Boesmansrivier, Bonnievale, Eilandia, Goedemoed, Goree, Goudmyn, Hoopsrivier, Klaasvoogds, Le Chasseur, McGregor, Vinkrivier, Zandrivier

Worcester District

Worcester is the largest of the three Breede River Valley districts but the least widely planted, possessing only half the area under vine of either Robertson or Breedekloof. It is also the most closely associated with “brandy varieties,” Chenin Blanc (1,860 hectares) and Colombard (1,176 hectares). These two grapes truly dominate the vineyards; the third most widely planted variety is Sauvignon Blanc, which only accounts for a paltry 578 hectares. 

As this district branches further inland than the others, it is by far the hottest and driest of the three, though frost is a regular and acute threat. Here, irrigation is almost always necessary, and vineyards higher on the slopes produce better quality. Brandy, bulk wine, and the odd historical sweet wine such as Jerepigo are the order of the day. The wards it contains are barely known, even inside South Africa. 

Wards: Hex River Valley, Keeromsberg, Nuy, Rooikrans, Scherpenheuvel, Stettyn

The Cape South Coast contains many of the most exciting and dynamic producers in South Africa, none of which existed a generation ago. This is because the sprawling region was (for the most part) not legally allowed to be planted until after the KWV abolished its quota scheme in 1992. It took a while for momentum to build, but viticulture really took off in the 2000s, when interest in more elegant wines from cool-climate regions began to increase globally.

But though its ascent has been comparatively rapid, by 2018, the Cape South Coast only featured 2,632 hectares under vine. This is barely more than the Klein Karoo, the least developed of South Africa’s regions. But unlike the Klein Karoo, which is still wed mostly to grapes used for brandy, the Cape South Coast is planted almost exclusively to noble varieties. As of 2018, the most predominant vine types were Sauvignon Blanc (783 hectares), Shiraz (333 hectares), Chardonnay (319 hectares), Pinot Noir (309 hectares), and Cabernet Sauvignon (185 hectares).

As the region traces the edge of both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, it contains some of South Africa’s most marginal sites. Since few of these areas are suitable for bulk production, high-quality artisan winemaking is the order of the day. 

Cape South Coast wards with no district: Herbertsdale, Napier, Stilbaai East

Cape Agulhas District

The Cape Agulhas district occupies the very tip of the African continent, and most of the development can be found in the Elim ward. Vines grow among layered shales and iron-rich koffieklip, or “coffee stone,” soils, also known as ferricrete. Battered by wind from nearly every direction, this area is limited in what it can grow. Nonetheless, it is becoming increasingly well known for the quality of its Sauvignon Blanc, which tends to feature noticeable green or grassy tones.

Ward: Elim

Elgin District

Elgin is a small but qualitatively important growing area that began as a ward but was promoted to district status. Situated just to the southeast of Stellenbosch, Elgin is effectively an elevated bowl ringed by mountains. The terrain undulates gently, and most of the agricultural land ranges between 300 and 500 meters in elevation. Soils vary but are primarily decomposed sandstone and shale. With a mean February temperature of only 19.7 degrees Celsius (67.5 degrees Fahrenheit), Elgin is among the cooler regions in all of South Africa. It is also besieged by rains throughout the growing season—over 1,000 millimeters annually. This rain and the accompanying high humidity come with all the attendant risks (mildew, botrytis, fruit dilution), but the regular cloud cover helps extend ripening. Frost is another major concern for farmers.

Elgin is the country’s premier source of orchard fruits, with approximately 80% of the land dedicated to apples and pears. Though quality viticulture has been in play here since the 1980s, grapevine planting spiked after the turn of the century, when the value of apples declined. Of course, such is the cyclical nature of agriculture—today, it is grape prices that are falling, inspiring many farmers to reverse course and return their vineyards to apples, which they claim can bring in seven times the income. 

Because Elgin is relatively tiny and its agriculture is dominated by produce, both vineyards and wineries tend to be on the smaller side. As bulk quantity is not physically possible here, high quality seems to be the shared strategy of the area’s producers. Chardonnay is by far the most successful variety, generally produced in a bright, crisp style similar to the Chardonnays of Walker Bay. Sauvignon Blanc dominates, a handful of good Pinot Noir and Rieslings exist (but the potential for more is there), and Merlot remains a solid point of distinction.

Overberg District

Overberg, so-named because it was “over the mountains” from Stellenbosch, was once a considerably larger district. But over time, as certain viticultural areas inside it have expanded and matured, they were elevated to districts of their own, shrinking the overarching Overberg. Elgin and Walker Bay are the best known examples of this, and Walker Bay went on to be further subdivided into wards. 

As Overberg covers a significant span of ground, the area is quite varied, though this is generally a cold, wet, and windy place. It contains several wards, many of which are in their developmental infancy.

The Greyton ward was drawn in honor of Lismore Estate. Lismore was started in the early 2000s by American transplant Samantha O’Keefe. O’Keefe purchased a remote dairy farm in the mountains, capitalizing on the same collapse in the price of milk and apples that set farmers to cultivating vines in Elgin. She planted Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Shiraz, becoming the first commercial grower in the area. Today, Lismore is one of the most celebrated brands in the country, and its refined wines are especially beloved by critics.

Lismore’s steep vineyard is dramatically situated at around 320 meters above sea level and features extremely rocky soils of shale and slate over clay and limestone. O’Keefe only plants vines where there’s enough clay that she can dry-farm, but the high amount of rain makes fighting vigor (both of her vines and cover crops) a major challenge. Her farm’s isolated location increases wildlife pressure, and O’Keefe struggles to keep the baboons from consuming her later-ripening red varieties. 

Wards: Elandskloof, Greyton, Klein River, Theewater

Swellendam District

The Swellendam district is similar to Overberg in terms of both size and reputation. Though they are adjacent, Swellendam is far more protected from the ocean elements as, with the exception of a tiny tendril that follows the Breede River out to sea, the appellation lies farther inland than its neighbor to the west.

In further similarity to Overberg, Swellendam is also most famous for a ward drawn to accommodate a single producer. This ward, Malgas, lies close to the ocean and looks down upon the Breede River. The vineyards of this producer, Sijnn (pronounced “sane”), occupy an isolated plateau in an otherwise bleak landscape dotted by the occasional dairy and wheat farm.

Sijnn’s vineyard soils resemble that of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, in that they are a jumble of round weathered stones bound by relatively little topsoil. In honor of this (and despite the region’s cool climate), the proprietors have planted a range of varieties featuring numerous Rhône selections including Roussanne, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Shiraz. They report an annual rainfall of between 340 and 380 millimeters a year, a mere third of that seen by neighboring Overberg. 

Wards: Buffeljags, Malgas, Stormsvlei

Walker Bay District

Walker Bay is by far the most famous and developed of all of the Cape South Coast’s districts. This is due in part to the fact that it contains Hermanus, a small coastal city and popular tourist destination, and also because of the pioneering work done by the Hamilton Russell and Bouchard-Finlayson wineries in what is now Hemel-en-Aarde (Afrikaans for “heaven and earth”).

The various wards of Walker Bay stretch up the hillsides that radiate outward from the bay for which the ward is named. Two of them, Bot River and Hemel-en-Aarde, were already producing quality wine prior to the KWV quota lift in 1992, but on a very small scale. Aside from those exceptions, Walker Bay is home to some of the youngest and most exciting brands in South Africa. As there was no historic tradition of winemaking here, these estates are being established by outsiders who are specifically drawn to the cool, maritime climate and unique soils of the area. Much of the focus is on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and the clear success of these two varieties has attracted interest and even investment from some of Burgundy’s producers.

Of Walker Bay’s many wards, Bot River and the trio of Hemel-en-Aardes are the best known. Due to Hamilton Russell’s early success, the Hemel-en-Aarde wards have molded themselves very much in the model of Burgundy or the Willamette Valley, while Bot River feels more traditionally South African. It is decidedly coastal in feel, with regular ocean breezes and an abundance of rain and mist, and yet the varieties planted are more typical of Swartland. Chenin Blanc is especially important to the area, and even old vines—a real rarity for the coast—can be found. Pinotage and Shiraz are also widely planted, in addition to a good amount of Semillon and Mourvèdre. Because of the contrast of “interior” varieties with a coastal climate, the wines from this region tend toward elegance.

Per its name, the picturesque Bot River ward is made up of the valley bisected by the gentle Bot River. Two mountain ranges bracket the area, with the bowl of Elgin sitting over the western ridge and Hemel-en-Aarde lying to the east. The rolling terrain is dotted with farms and orchards, and the soils upon which both grapes and apples grow are primarily rocky shale with outcroppings of sandstone.

Gabrielskloof is an important winery to the area, and though it has a long history there, it is starting to incorporate more contemporary approaches to winemaking, as evidenced by a single-soil Syrah series. Beaumont, the first operating winery of the modern era, is also significant. Its focus is on select bottlings of Chenin Blanc. Though neighboring Hemel-en-Aarde gets the lion’s share of press, Bot River is rich in both quality wines and the potential for further development.

What is referred to generically as Hemel-en-Aarde is actually three distinct wards (Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, and Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge), whose names are confusingly similar. Collectively, these appellations got their viticultural start in the 1970s when Hamilton Russell, an advertising executive with a holiday home in Hermanus, decided to develop a pair of vineyards. He tested a range of grapes, with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay finding the greatest success, and these varieties continue to dominate the landscape (though experiments are still being carried out). At the time, developing such a marginal, coastal site was not only considered insane, it was also illegal. And yet the resulting wines were so enthusiastically received that, after a series of court battles, the KWV reluctantly relaxed its strict standards, opening the door to the eventual quota repeal of 1992.

The three wards of Hemel-en-Aarde wind their way up from the valley floor to the hillside over a series of ridges. For the most part, the valleys are narrow enough that the vines are protected from the winds that regularly whip through Bot River. Hemel-en-Aarde Valley is the lowest in elevation at about 125 meters, while Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge (the highest) crests 400 meters in elevation. Rainfall averages 750 millimeters a year and, according to local producers, the climate is cooler than Burgundy in the summers but warmer during the shoulder seasons. Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge enjoy predominately shale-based clay, while Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley is dominated by decomposed granite.

Today, the region is a hotspot for young winemakers, many of whom are making some truly compelling wines. Though there are currently only around a dozen physical estates, outside wineries are snapping up vineyard land in a bid to capitalize on this fashionable region. Those who love Burgundy but lament how expensive it has gotten may very well want to keep an eye on the Hemel-en-Aarde wards.

Wards: Bot River, Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Springfontein Rim, Stanford Foothills, Sunday’s Glen, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
Other districts in the Cape South Coast: Lower Duivenhoks River (no wards), Plettenberg Bay (no wards)

South Africa’s Coastal Region is the source for most of the country’s high-quality wine. It is also the historic heartland of the industry, containing such seminal growing areas as Constantia, Stellenbosch, Swartland, and Paarl.

One need only briefly dwell on the disparate nature of the aforementioned appellations to understand how vast and varied a terrain is encompassed in the Coastal Region. The name is even a bit misleading, as some of the hotter sites, specifically Tulbagh and Wellington, are decidedly inland. But because they fall outside of the tall, L-shaped mountain chain that borders the Ceres Plateau and the Breede River Valley, they are lumped together with the more properly maritime areas such as Stellenbosch.

Perhaps what truly unites the region is not so much the coast as proximity to Cape Town. This important city, its dense population, and the bars and restaurants it contains, provide essential support to the surrounding wine industry.

Coastal Region wards with no district: Bamboes Bay, Lamberts Bay

Cape Town District

The Cape Town district is a good example of the fluidity of the Wine of Origin system. Prior to May of 2017, this was actually two separate districts: Cape Peninsula and Tygerberg. But as both districts were relatively unknown, authorities decided to merge the two and rebrand the combined area to reflect its proximity to the capital.

The Cape Town district contains one important ward, Constantia, and three lesser-known wards: Durbanville, Hout Bay, and Philadelphia. The original Constantia farm was registered in 1685, making it one of the first commercial wine endeavors not only in South Africa but in the whole of the so-called New World. It was established by Simon van der Stel, whose sweet “governor’s wine” was the first critically acclaimed wine from South Africa. Later versions were known simply as Constantia. Though there is some debate about the profile of the original Constantia, it is believed that these were generally unfortified dessert wines made in both red and white styles. The category grew to become one of the most internationally sought-after wines of the 1700s, famously consumed by authors, royalty, and heads of state. When van der Stel died in 1712, his estate was subdivided into three parts: Groot and Klein Constantia (“big” and “little,” respectively) and Bergvliet. Over time, other wineries were established in close proximity, and today the ward counts around a dozen active brands.

The Constantia ward sits on a small sliver of land that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean. The growing area occupies an amphitheater-shaped valley wedged between False Bay and the ever-expanding sprawl of Cape Town. This urban proximity affects Constantia in two rather dramatic ways. First, land values have been driven extremely high, making it difficult for young or new producers to get established. And second, wine tourism has become a major industry. This latter factor is critical in that it promotes direct-to-consumer sales, which aids profitability. Of course, the downside to such guaranteed and easy sales is that it can sometimes lead to complacent winemaking. 

As Constantia is surrounded on three sides by chilly ocean currents and is directly in the path of the relentless Cape Doctor wind, it is very much a cold-climate growing region. The mean temperature in February, the hottest month of the growing season, is only 20.6 degrees Celsius (69 degrees Fahrenheit). Because of this, in addition to the range of prestigious Muscat-based dessert wines, Sauvignon Blanc is the dominant variety. Red grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz have enjoyed some success at higher elevations, where the increased sun exposure and distance from the ocean aids ripening. Heavy rain is a signature of the region, averaging 1,000 millimeters per year, and the soils are primarily clay mixed with sand derived from granite (higher elevations) or sandstone (lower elevations).

Located on the opposite side of Cape Town, Durbanville shares a border with Paarl and Swartland. Like Constantia, this is a cool-climate growing region primarily dedicated to Sauvignon Blanc. But because it lacks that appellation’s famous name, a considerable amount of Durbanville fruit leaves the ward, destined for blends based on Paarl or Stellenbosch fruit. Durbanville is one of the few South African winegrowing areas without any real mountain influence. Here, the terrain is dominated by low rolling hills dotted by sheep and small family farms. The ocean influence manifests in the form of ample rainfall (approximately 600 millimeters a year) and thick daily fog. Diemersdal is one of the larger producers in the region and is considered a quality leader.

Wards: Constantia, Durbanville, Hout Bay, Philadelphia

Darling District

Darling, a triangle-shaped wedge within the southwest corner of the Swartland, used to be one of the area’s wards until it was promoted to a district status of its own. Today, it is a popular source of Sauvignon Blanc and a growing number of varietal Cinsauts.

Ward: Groenekloof

Franschhoek Valley District

With its high-end boutique shopping, tourist-ferrying trolley, and French signage, Franschhoek is a unique within the South African wine industry. The ubiquitous presence of tourists is due to the district’s proximity to both Stellenbosch and Cape Town (not to mention its stunning physical beauty). The French signage is thanks to the French Huguenots who settled here in South Africa’s early colonial days, giving the area both its name (Franschhoek is Afrikaans for “French Quarter”) and its linguistic legacy.

The district (which contains no wards) is a small, narrow valley that forms a pie-shaped wedge between Paarl and Stellenbosch. Because the valley is pinched off at one end, breezes do not regularly flow here. This makes the area a kind of climatic middle ground between its much larger neighbors, as it is cooler than Paarl but warmer than Stellenbosch (though elevation plays a major role in microclimate). The mountains that so dramatically define the valley are made of pure granite, which informs the area’s soils. And as the valley floor is thick with clay, most viticulture has long been confined to the slopes. Plums are the other major agricultural product of the area, and their current high profitability is threatening some vineyards.

Franschhoek is planted to a little bit of everything but is most famous for its old vine Semillon, though much of it has been removed over the years. Perhaps the most coveted vineyard in the area is La Colline, which is believed to have been planted in 1936. Beyond that, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon seem to be the other favorites and are generally cultivated for quality, not bulk.

Wards: None

Paarl District

The Paarl district, one of South Africa’s most historic winegrowing areas, is located at the interior edge of the Coastal Region, in between Stellenbosch, Wellington, and Swartland. It occupies a tense position in South African wine, with one foot in quality production and one foot in bulk. This latter position is especially grounded in the fact that Paarl is also famous as the home of the KWV, whose presence still looms in the guise of a massive private production facility.

For the most part, Paarl enjoys granitic soils that contain more clay at lower elevations, and more sand and rock higher up. It is primarily a hot and flat area, though there are exceptions. The Berg River, which originates in the mountains of Franschhoek, flows through, providing irrigation water for local agriculture. Most of the flatland production is dedicated to bulk wine (Vilafonté is a notable exception), but three mountainous areas—Simonsberg, Paardeberg, and Paarl Rock—create more favorable microclimates for quality. Paarl’s wards have been drawn specifically to accommodate and highlight these high-performing viticultural areas.

Paarl Rock sits in the center of the district and is a striking, massive, naked mound of pure granite. The Agter-Paarlward extends behind it (agter means “behind” in Afrikaans), encompassing a handful of producers. The other two wards sit on opposite sides of the district, one bordering Stellenbosch, the other Swartland. In the south, Simonsberg Mountain marks the boundary between Paarl and Stellenbosch, and its slopes are considered prime viticultural land on both sides. The districts share adjacent wards, Simonsberg-Paarl and Simonsberg-Stellenbosch, the wines from which are remarkably similar given their opposing aspects. On the Paarl side, Backsberg is a clear leader, and Bordeaux varieties and Chardonnay dominate the vineyards. In the north, the Voor-Paardeberg ward occupies the lower slopes of Swartland’s Paardeberg Mountain. Many feel this region bears more kinship to the Swartland, with its vast swaths of old vine Chenin vineyards (though Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz are also widely planted), and rumors persist that it will eventually be moved into the neighboring district.

Paarl is one of the most widely planted districts, boasting even more area under vine than the significantly larger Swartland (14,766 hectares compared to Swartland’s 12,850). Of all these vines, Chenin Blanc is the most significant (2,743 hectares), and many patches of old vines can be found. After that, Cabernet Sauvignon leads with 2,326 hectares under vine, followed by Shiraz (2,123 hectares), Pinotage (1,304 hectares), Chardonnay (1,208 hectares), Merlot (1,012 hectares), and Sauvignon Blanc (929 hectares). Though not statistically significant, Rhône varieties are gaining traction among quality-minded producers.

Wards: Agter-Paarl, Simonsberg-Paarl, Voor-Paardeberg

Stellenbosch District

Stellenbosch is very much the heart of South Africa’s wine industry. Located only an hour’s drive from Cape Town, this district is centered around the picturesque town of the same name, where steepled, white-washed buildings reflect the Afrikaners’ Dutch roots. Stellenbosch University, the main academic training ground for the country’s winemakers and viticulturalists, is also located here. And the dozens of wine farms that extend into the beautiful countryside contain some of the most well-appointed, well-funded, and highly praised wineries in the country.

Only Constantia has a longer history under vine than Stellenbosch, which has multiple properties that have been in operation since their founding in the 1600s. As Stellenbosch receives an impressive number of tourists, some of the wine estates function like mini-resorts, complete with restaurants, spas, art galleries, and rooms for rent.

The Stellenbosch district stretches all the way from the coastline of False Bay in the south to Paarl in the north, with the Elgin district of the Cape South Coast region just to the east. Given the distinct climates over its many borders, it makes sense that Stellenbosch features a selection of microclimates, ranging from the maritime to the arid. Additionally, multiple dramatic mountain outcroppings interrupt the terrain, which further complicates the terroir. Considering this, it is no wonder that the relatively small Stellenbosch district can already count eight wards within its boundaries, with more rumored to be in the works.

Simonsberg-Stellenbosch is the largest, most northerly, and furthest inland of the Stellenbosch wards. It is primarily dedicated to red varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, Pinotage), though Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are planted in significant amounts as well. The most important winery in the ward is Kanonkop, which is especially well known for its Bordeaux blends and Pinotage. Rustenberg and Warwick are also very high performing. In part because of the warmer microclimate, and in part because of the preponderance of clay in the soil, wines from this ward tend to be on the richer, more luxurious side. Yet they are more elegant than their Paarl counterparts, due to the cool southerly exposure of the slopes and access to ocean breezes.

Among locals, the Banghoek ward is often called Banker’s ward, referencing the area’s many wealthy estates (Jackson Family’s Capensis, Delaire Graff, Tokara, Rainbow’s End). This small ward occupies a dramatic valley that sits to the south of Simonsberg-Stellenbosch. It features starkly rising slopes that contain the highest elevation vineyards in Stellenbosch (up to 640 meters), which can be quite cool. The soils here are mostly decomposed granite (sandstone higher up) with clay, and as development has been fairly recent, modern varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay dominate the vineyards.

The Bottelary ward, located in the western end of Stellenbosch, has north-facing slopes ideal for the ripening of red varieties, but its proximity to the coast opens the appellation up to the ocean’s cooling influence. Vineyards are mostly confined to the valley floor and low hills, stretching as high as 300 meters. Chenin Blanc can be found here, but Bordeaux varieties, Pinotage, and Shiraz are more common. Just to its south lies the newer Polkadraai Hills ward, which produces a more nervy style of wine. These slopes face mostly south and southwest, opening them directly up to the cooling influence of False Bay and the Atlantic. Sauvignon Blanc dominates, but Shiraz and Bordeaux varieties are also widely planted, as are Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay (to a lesser extent).

The other wards are not considered as significant, often because they are cooler or don’t contain as many wineries. Jonkershoek Valley is a very distinctive area. This valley is nestled up to a particularly tall mountain, which captures cool air and moisture. This, plus the clay-heavy soils, results in a more elegant style of wine. Devon Valley is another cool site with very deep and fertile soils. It is said to be more of a challenging place to farm than Jonkershoek, and the red varieties planted here are widely thought to display an herbal or green characteristic.

Most of Stellenbosch has not been carved into wards, and these undefined areas often contain the most prized vineyards and respected wineries, such as Mulderbosch and Waterford. A region known as the Golden Triangle, which extends southward from the town of Stellenbosch, is especially revered, as are the slopes of the Helderberg Mountain. This mountain sits at a perpendicular angle to the coastline and channels the ocean breezes to either side, exerting a powerful influence over a broad swath of Stellenbosch.

Soils are very heterogeneous in Stellenbosch, but most are some sort of combination of decomposed sandstone or decomposed granite mixed with varying proportions of clay (though small pockets of shale can be found). The most widely planted variety across the entire district is Cabernet Sauvignon, with 2,963 hectares under vine. This is logical, as Cabernet-dominant Bordeaux blends are very much the hallmark wine of the region. Sauvignon Blanc leads the whites with 2,602 hectares planted, and Shiraz (1,964 hectares), Merlot (1,746 hectares), Chenin Blanc (1,344 hectares), Pinotage (1,200 hectares), and Chardonnay (1,099 hectares) follow in order.

Though Stellenbosch is one of South Africa’s most historic winegrowing areas, old vine vineyards are rare. This is primarily due to the amount of money that has flooded the district. While it may seem counterintuitive, areas of high investment tend to feature younger vineyards, as the wineries are able to play with the latest clones, rootstocks, and vineyard technology (needless to say, more fashionable grapes are also favored over traditional varieties). But despite the area’s collective resources, because it is the most densely planted district in the Cape, virus—specifically leaf roll—is rampant.

Other important wineries include Beyerskloof, DeMorgenzon, Ken Forrester, Meerlust, Neil Ellis, Raats, Rustenberg, Rust en Vrede, Thelema, and Vergelegen.

Wards: Banghoek, Bottelary, Devon Valley, Jonkershoek Valley, Papegaaiberg, Polkadraai Hills, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch, Vlottenberg

Swartland District

Stellenbosch, Constantia, Franschhoek, and even Paarl to a lesser extent, are well-established wine regions packed with grand buildings, eager tourists, and the facilities that service them. The Swartland is something apart. Mountains loom, but they are widely spaced, with broad swaths of wheat-covered plains stretching between them. Wineries (aside from the handful of remaining cooperatives) tend to be modest affairs, barn-like, tucked away from the road, and often absent signage. Tourists don’t accidentally wander into the Swartland (unless for the olive oil); it is a place one must deliberately seek, but visitors are rewarded with some of South Africa’s most compelling wines.

The Swartland has a long history under vine, stretching back almost as long as Constantia and Stellenbosch. Records are scant, but the area didn’t start producing a quantitatively significant amount of wine until the mid-19^th century. Broad, hot, and dry, the Swartland seemed to align itself with bulk production early on and remained committed to cooperatives and brandy grapes long after the rest of South Africa started amassing small estates focused on quality in the 1960s and ’70s.

Swartland’s fortunes changed in the mid-1990s when Charles Back established a winery named Spice Route. His family’s background was first in bulk and then in estate production, and he believed that the Swartland had enormous potential for quality. Spice Route was cutting edge in that it focused on Mediterranean varieties while the rest of the country was looking toward Bordeaux and Burgundy. But while the winery is significant in its own right, Spice Route is perhaps now more famous as the former employer of Eben Sadie, the man who has almost single-handedly transformed the Swartland from viticultural backwater to the torchbearer for “the New South Africa.”

Sadie worked at Spice Route from 1998 to 2001, when he left to focus on his own project, Columella, which released its first vintage in 2000. Before long, his passion and the clear success of his wines inspired friends to follow. Among the first to relocate to the Swartland were the Mullineuxs and Adi Badenhorst, who was raised on the Groot Constantia estate, where his father worked as manager. The three declared themselves “the Swartland Revolution,” and over time, a handful of other (often quite young) winemakers joined them. Today, the Swartland Independent Producers (SIP) carries out this group’s mission “to build a strong regional identity through wines that truly express this uniqueness of the region,” with stated core values and requirements for the local certification. This includes a list of varieties best suited to the region and a mandate for minimal-to-no adjustments in the cellar.

The Swartland is a vast place, commonly referred to as the breadbasket of South Africa. Its western length runs along the coast, but most viticulture is found further inland, barely in reach of the cooling breezes. Mountains ring the plains, which undulate in low hills that are often covered in livestock or agriculture. The soils are some of the most variegated in South Africa, with sand-like decomposed granite common in the Paardeberg area to the south, where Sadie and Badenhorst are based. Slate, shale, and schist dominate the area around the eastern mountains, and some chalk can be found in the north. Bands of rich red clay loam run west of Malmesbury, and quartz stones are sprinkled throughout.

Climatically speaking, the Swartland is primarily a hot and dry place, with little in the way of rainfall. Because of this, wide spaced, head-trained bush vines that can be dry-farmed dominate. These old vines, preserved largely through the area’s lack of prosperity, are one of the Swartland’s most prized and defining characteristics. Chenin Blanc, much of which was planted to support the dessert wine and brandy industries in the mid-20^th century, occupies 2,553 hectares of the area’s vineyards. Shiraz comes next with 2,048 hectares, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon (1,836 hectares), Pinotage (1,464 hectares), and Sauvignon Blanc (1,167 hectares). While not statistically significant, Sadie has been working with the government to import and trial dozens of varieties that he feels might be well suited to South Africa. So far, his imports include selections from Greece, Italy, Portugal, Southern France, and Spain.

Most winegrowing is concentrated in the area to the southeast of Malmesbury, the commercial hub of the Swartland, in the Paardeberg and Paardeburg South wards, which are rich in sandy granitic soils. The official Malmesbury ward extends to the northwest of the city but is rarely seen on bottles. The other major hubs for viticulture are in the adjacent Riebeekberg and Riebeeksrivier wards, just to the northeast of Malmesbury. The wines here, cultivated on soils of iron-rich slate and shale, tend to be earthy and powerful, while the Paardeberg wines are more sculptural. Finally, along the northwest coast is the remote St. Helena Bay ward, which contains very little viticulture. This region is regularly 10 degrees Celsius (18 degrees Fahrenheit) less than the inland area, with chalk-rich soils that produce nervy, saline wines.

Wards: Malmesbury, Paardeberg, Paardeberg South, Picket-Bo-Berg, Porseleinberg, Riebeekberg, Riebeeksrivier, St. Helena Bay

Tulbagh District

The Tulbagh district is a unique pocket of land within the South African landscape. It sits inland from the hot, dry Swartland, but because it is an elevated horseshoe-shaped valley carved from tall mountains, it has colder winters and higher rainfall than its neighbor. It is worth pointing out that though Tulbagh and Swartland were both long associated with bulk wine, it was for dry table wine and not dessert wine, unlike the rest of the country. Since the early 2000s, Tulbagh’s reputation has been in flux, as a small but growing number of independent wineries have set up shop. Fable Mountain in particular stands out for its concentrated yet elegant reds.

The town of Tulbagh occupies the center of the valley’s bowl, and much of the viticulture is located in the eastern foothills, reaching as high as 450 meters in elevation. Here, Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and red Rhône varieties thrive. The soils are quite varied but, while neighboring Swartland is grounded in granite, here the primary substrate is shale mixed with clay and quartz. Air currents can be ferocious, and while that can have a pleasant cooling effect, vines highest up the slopes have been known to experience wind damage. Additionally, because of the penned-in shape of the valley, the cold air sinks and becomes trapped, making for a rather distinct microclimate.

Wards: None

Wellington District

Wellington sits in between Tulbagh and Paarl, with Swartland stretching off to the west. This inland area was actually once a ward of Paarl before it was elevated to district status, and many feel that it still spiritually belongs to its neighbor. Like Paarl, Wellington is primarily hot and dry, though it lacks defining mountains. Its low, rolling terrain has long appealed to growers of bulk wine and table grapes, and though quality is improving, the district’s reputation is such that it is rarely listed on a label. The massive private company DGB is based here, and the director calls Wellington and Paarl the “engines of South Africa’s wine industry.”

Heat is the biggest hurdle to quality grapegrowing in Wellington, though a dramatic diurnal swing helps preserve acidity. Because of this, the best and most widely planted varieties tend to be heat tolerant, such as Chenin Blanc, Shiraz, and Pinotage, along with some new and notable plantings of Grenache and Carignan. The soils are mostly shale at lower elevations, with weathered granite and sandstone at higher elevations. Wellington is also significant as the center of the vine nursery industry; nearly all of the vine stock distributed across South Africa finds its origin here.

Wards: Blouvlei, Bovlei, Groenberg, Limietberg, Mid-Berg River
Other districts in the Coastal Region: Lutzville Valley (ward: Koekenaap)

Karoo is an ancient word in South Africa, taken from the language of the indigenous San people. It translates roughly to “dry and thirsty land”—an apt description for this land-locked region. 

The Klein Karoo is essentially a long east-west valley that sits just over a mountain ridge to the north of the Robertson and Swellendam districts. These mountains isolate the region into its own distinct climate. It is not uncommon to see clear blue skies above the Klein Karoo while neighboring Robertson is shrouded in storm clouds. This difference is also reflected in the flora—the landscape becomes suddenly far more parched and desert-like in appearance, with low scrub brushes replacing tall trees. This area is considered by many to be the farthest inland that quality grapegrowing is possible. Over the northern ridge lies the Great Karoo, a vast stretch of mostly barren plains.

For the most part, the Klein Karoo is associated with bulk, sweet (Hanepoot, Jerepigo, and Moscatel), and “Port” production. The Calitzdorp district in the east is one of the best-known sources for Cape Vintage, Cape Ruby, and Cape Tawny. But, like much of the rest of South Africa, change is afoot. This is evidenced by the slow delineation of stand-alone wards, many of which were drawn to highlight a cluster of quality activity. Among the more promising are Tradouw and the Tradouw Highlands, where the Joubert-Tradauw winery is located. Meyer Joubert comes from an agricultural family that sold and continues to sell fruit to the area co-ops. He began making his own wine in 1999 and over time has reserved an increasing amount of grapes for his own purposes. The results are surprisingly refined considering the reputation of the Karoo and are a reminder that almost none of the generalizations about the South African wine industry can be taken at face value.

Soils vary but are primarily built of shale, which is the bedrock of the southern band of mountains. Down near Calitzdorp, the ground is rich and fluvial, but up in the hills near Tradouw there is more clay, which is essential in such a dry area. Joubert notes that while his vineyard (which sits at around 500 meters) only receives 350 millimeters of rain a year, the mountains receive around 1,000 millimeters. To capture this moisture, his family has series of canals and pipes that redirect the water to their farm. One benefit of the arid conditions is that disease pressure in the Klein Karoo is among the lowest in South Africa. 

Viticulture is limited and separated into sparse pockets that are only loosely assembled into the greater Klein Karoo area. Because of the emphasis on bulk, brandy, and dessert styles, Colombard is the leading variety, with 716 hectares. Chenin Blanc and Hanepoot follow with 454 hectares and 141 hectares, respectively.

Other districts in Klein Karoo: Calitzdorp (ward: Groenfontein), Langeberg-Garcia (no wards)
Klein Karoo wards with no district: Cango Valley, Montagu, Outeniqua, Tradouw, Tradouw Highlands, Upper Langkloof

The Olifants River region is a vast and remote area located to the north of Swartland that traces the path of the river for which it is named. Overall, this area is even hotter and drier than the Swartland, and in many cases, it is only the river that renders viticulture possible. The region remains very dedicated to bulk wine, as evidenced by the grapes grown. Chenin Blanc and Colombard lead with 2,822 and 2,528 hectares, respectively. Shiraz is a distant third with 702 hectares, followed by Merlot (623 hectares), Sauvignon Blanc (586 hectares), Cabernet Sauvignon (461 hectares), Hanepoot (369 hectares), and Ruby Cabernet (368 hectares).

One pocket, the Piekenierskloof ward in the Citrusdal Mountain district, has recently set itself apart for quality. Here the best vines grow at high elevation (around 600 meters) on the slopes of a large sandstone mountain. Rooibos tea bushes and citrus are the primary crops, but patches of old vine Chenin and Semillon can also be found. Piekenierskloof has also been home to the single largest amount of Grenache in South Africa since the 1960s, which has drawn the attention of some of the country’s best wineries. Outside of the ward, in the generic Citrusdal Mountain district, Eben Sadie’s famous vineyard Skurfberg can be found.

Other districts in Olifants River: Citrusdal Mountain (ward: Piekenierskloof), Citrusdal Valley (no wards)
Olifants River wards with no district: Spruitdrift, Vredendal

Within the Western Cape, there is one district, Ceres Plateau, that does not belong to a region; it contains a ward called Ceres. There are also several orphan wards that belong to no district, including Cederberg, Leipoldtville-Sandveld, Nieuwoudtville, Prince Albert Valley, and Swartberg. Of these wards, Ceres in the Ceres Plateau district is the most exciting. Ceres sits up the mountains and inland from Tulbagh. Though a relatively scorching area, vineyards have been shown to thrive at the very high altitude plateau (around 850 meters). Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Shiraz have so far shown promise, creating characterful wines due to the intense solar radiation (which is thought to thicken skins), the shale-based soils, and extremely cold nights. These are the few vineyards in South Africa that see regular winter snow. Cederberg has also been the site of interesting recent expansion. It is home to some of the highest vineyards at 1,100 meters.

The Northern Cape geographical unit is perhaps the next most significant production region behind the Western Cape. While it produces mostly bulk wine, one region (Karoo-Hoogland),  three districts (Central Orange River, Douglas and Sutherland-Karoo) and seven wards (Groblershoop, Grootdrink, Kakamas, Keimoes, and Upington in Central Orange River district, and the free wards of  Hartswater and Prieska) have been designated. Of them, the Sutherland-Karoo district, with its high-elevation mountain sites, seems best situated to compete at a quality level.

The remaining four geographical units are responsible for only a very small amount of wine compared to the rest of South Africa. The Eastern Cape and Free State each possess a single ward, St. Francis Bay and Rietrivier FS, respectively. The KwaZulu-Natal contains two districts, Central Drakensberg and Lions River.

Bibliography

Atkin, Tim. 2019 South Africa Special Report. TimAtkin.com, 2019. https://timatkin.com/product/2019-south-africa-special-report/. 

James, Tim. Wines of the New South Africa: Tradition and Revolution.Berkeley: University of California Press, 2013.

Old Vine Project. Accessed January 31, 2020. https://oldvineproject.co.za/. 

SA Wine Industry Information and Systems (SAWIS). Accessed January 31, 2020. http://www.sawis.co.za/.

Swart, Elmari, and Izak Smit. Essential Guide to South African Wines. Cape Town: Cheviot Publishing, 2009.

van Zyl, Philip, ed. Platter’s by Diners Club South African Wine Guide 2016. Hermanus, South Africa: John Platter SA Wineguide (Pty) Ltd., 2016.

Wines of South Africa. Accessed January 31, 2020. https://www.wosa.co.za/. 

Special thanks to Jim Clarke, WOSA, SAWIS, and the OVP.

Compiled by Kelli White (February 2020)

Edited by Stacy Ladenburger