https://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africaen-USTelligent Community 13https://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africaThu, 29 Jan 2026 18:24:46 GMT8277e151-5ba9-4335-93f0-6f497ffb8dc4:974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ffSandra Banhttps://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa#commentsCurrent Revision posted to Expert Guides by Sandra Ban on 1/29/2026 6:24:46 PM<br /> <div class="paywall-restricted"><p><a name="top"></a></p> <div class="box1_home4">&ldquo;It is worth stressing the point: the reentry of South Africa into the world since the early 1990s has meant a growth in international sophistication for its wine. At its best, that has meant not the imposition of a bland &lsquo;international style,&rsquo; but the emergence of the local story, better told.&rdquo;<span class="box1_h4_a">&ndash;&nbsp;Tim James, &quot;Wines of the New South Africa&quot;</span></div> <div class="style_box"> Contents <ol> <li>A Brief Introduction</li> <li>History of South Africa</li> <li>Climate &amp; Geography</li> <li>The Grapes of South Africa</li> <li>South African Wine Law</li> <li>Regions of South Africa</li> <li>Bibliography</li> </ol> </div> <p><a name="01"></a></p> A Brief Introduction <p style="text-align:justify;">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 ^&nbsp;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&rsquo;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.</p> <p style="text-align:justify;">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</p></div><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.restricted', { contentId: '974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ff' }); }); }); </script><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.displayPopup', { }); }); }); </script><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: Preview</div> https://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa/revision/27Tue, 06 Jan 2026 22:51:27 GMT8277e151-5ba9-4335-93f0-6f497ffb8dc4:974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ffStacy Ladenburgerhttps://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa#commentsRevision 27 posted to Expert Guides by Stacy Ladenburger on 1/6/2026 10:51:27 PM<br /> <div class="paywall-restricted"><p><a name="top"></a></p> <div class="box1_home4">&ldquo;It is worth stressing the point: the reentry of South Africa into the world since the early 1990s has meant a growth in international sophistication for its wine. At its best, that has meant not the imposition of a bland &lsquo;international style,&rsquo; but the emergence of the local story, better told.&rdquo;<span class="box1_h4_a">&ndash;&nbsp;Tim James, &quot;Wines of the New South Africa&quot;</span></div> <div class="style_box"> Contents <ol> <li>A Brief Introduction</li> <li>History of South Africa</li> <li>Climate &amp; Geography</li> <li>The Grapes of South Africa</li> <li>South African Wine Law</li> <li>Regions of South Africa</li> <li>Bibliography</li> </ol> </div> <p><a name="01"></a></p> A Brief Introduction <p style="text-align:justify;">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 ^&nbsp;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&rsquo;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.</p> <p style="text-align:justify;">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</p></div><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.restricted', { contentId: '974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ff' }); }); }); </script><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.displayPopup', { }); }); }); </script><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: Preview</div> https://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa/revision/26Tue, 30 Dec 2025 15:15:50 GMT8277e151-5ba9-4335-93f0-6f497ffb8dc4:974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ffJonathan Eichholzhttps://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa#commentsRevision 26 posted to Expert Guides by Jonathan Eichholz on 12/30/2025 3:15:50 PM<br /> <div class="paywall-restricted"><p><a name="top"></a></p> <div class="box1_home4">&ldquo;It is worth stressing the point: the reentry of South Africa into the world since the early 1990s has meant a growth in international sophistication for its wine. At its best, that has meant not the imposition of a bland &lsquo;international style,&rsquo; but the emergence of the local story, better told.&rdquo;<span class="box1_h4_a">&ndash;&nbsp;Tim James, &quot;Wines of the New South Africa&quot;</span></div> <div class="style_box"> Contents <ol> <li>A Brief Introduction</li> <li>History of South Africa</li> <li>Climate &amp; Geography</li> <li>The Grapes of South Africa</li> <li>South African Wine Law</li> <li>Regions of South Africa</li> <li>Bibliography</li> </ol> </div> <p><a name="01"></a></p> A Brief Introduction <p style="text-align:justify;">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 ^&nbsp;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&rsquo;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.</p> <p style="text-align:justify;">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</p></div><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.restricted', { contentId: '974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ff' }); }); }); </script><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.displayPopup', { }); }); }); </script><div style="clear:both;"></div> https://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa/revision/25Mon, 22 Jul 2024 17:37:15 GMT8277e151-5ba9-4335-93f0-6f497ffb8dc4:974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ffJonathan Eichholzhttps://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa#commentsRevision 25 posted to Expert Guides by Jonathan Eichholz on 7/22/2024 5:37:15 PM<br /> <div class="paywall-restricted"><p><a name="top"></a></p> <div class="box1_home4">&ldquo;It is worth stressing the point: the reentry of South Africa into the world since the early 1990s has meant a growth in international sophistication for its wine. At its best, that has meant not the imposition of a bland &lsquo;international style,&rsquo; but the emergence of the local story, better told.&rdquo;<span class="box1_h4_a">&ndash;&nbsp;Tim James, &quot;Wines of the New South Africa&quot;</span></div> <div class="style_box"> Contents <ol> <li>A Brief Introduction</li> <li>History of South Africa</li> <li>Climate &amp; Geography</li> <li>The Grapes of South Africa</li> <li>South African Wine Law</li> <li>Regions of South Africa</li> <li>Bibliography</li> </ol> </div> <p><a name="01"></a></p> A Brief Introduction <p style="text-align:justify;">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 ^&nbsp;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&rsquo;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.</p> <p style="text-align:justify;">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</p></div><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.restricted', { contentId: '974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ff' }); }); }); </script><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.displayPopup', { }); }); }); </script><div style="clear:both;"></div> https://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa/revision/24Wed, 17 Jul 2024 15:29:50 GMT8277e151-5ba9-4335-93f0-6f497ffb8dc4:974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ffJonathan Eichholzhttps://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa#commentsRevision 24 posted to Expert Guides by Jonathan Eichholz on 7/17/2024 3:29:50 PM<br /> <div class="paywall-restricted"><p><a name="top"></a></p> <div class="box1_home4">&ldquo;It is worth stressing the point: the reentry of South Africa into the world since the early 1990s has meant a growth in international sophistication for its wine. At its best, that has meant not the imposition of a bland &lsquo;international style,&rsquo; but the emergence of the local story, better told.&rdquo;<span class="box1_h4_a">&ndash;&nbsp;Tim James, &quot;Wines of the New South Africa&quot;</span></div> <div class="style_box"> Contents <ol> <li>A Brief Introduction</li> <li>History of South Africa</li> <li>Climate &amp; Geography</li> <li>The Grapes of South Africa</li> <li>South African Wine Law</li> <li>Regions of South Africa</li> <li>Bibliography</li> </ol> </div> <p><a name="01"></a></p> A Brief Introduction <p style="text-align:justify;">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 ^&nbsp;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&rsquo;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.</p> <p style="text-align:justify;">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</p></div><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.restricted', { contentId: '974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ff' }); }); }); </script><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.displayPopup', { }); }); }); </script><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: Preview</div> https://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa/revision/23Tue, 18 Jun 2024 15:25:33 GMT8277e151-5ba9-4335-93f0-6f497ffb8dc4:974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ffGuildSomm Adminhttps://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa#commentsRevision 23 posted to Expert Guides by GuildSomm Admin on 6/18/2024 3:25:33 PM<br /> <div class="paywall-restricted"><p><a name="top"></a></p> <div class="box1_home4">&ldquo;It is worth stressing the point: the reentry of South Africa into the world since the early 1990s has meant a growth in international sophistication for its wine. At its best, that has meant not the imposition of a bland &lsquo;international style,&rsquo; but the emergence of the local story, better told.&rdquo;<span class="box1_h4_a">&ndash;&nbsp;Tim James, &quot;Wines of the New South Africa&quot;</span></div> <div class="style_box"> Contents <ol> <li>A Brief Introduction</li> <li>History of South Africa</li> <li>Climate &amp; Geography</li> <li>The Grapes of South Africa</li> <li>South African Wine Law</li> <li>Regions of South Africa</li> <li>Bibliography</li> </ol> </div> <p><a name="01"></a></p> A Brief Introduction <p style="text-align:justify;">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 ^&nbsp;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&rsquo;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.</p> <p style="text-align:justify;">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</p></div><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.restricted', { contentId: '974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ff' }); }); }); </script><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.displayPopup', { }); }); }); </script><div style="clear:both;"></div> <div style="font-size: 90%;">Tags: Preview</div> https://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa/revision/22Thu, 18 Apr 2024 15:12:11 GMT8277e151-5ba9-4335-93f0-6f497ffb8dc4:974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ffGuildSomm Adminhttps://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa#commentsRevision 22 posted to Expert Guides by GuildSomm Admin on 4/18/2024 3:12:11 PM<br /> <div class="paywall-restricted"><p><a name="top"></a></p> <div class="box1_home4">&ldquo;It is worth stressing the point: the reentry of South Africa into the world since the early 1990s has meant a growth in international sophistication for its wine. At its best, that has meant not the imposition of a bland &lsquo;international style,&rsquo; but the emergence of the local story, better told.&rdquo;<span class="box1_h4_a">&ndash;&nbsp;Tim James, &quot;Wines of the New South Africa&quot;</span></div> <div class="style_box"> Contents <ol> <li>A Brief Introduction</li> <li>History of South Africa</li> <li>Climate &amp; Geography</li> <li>The Grapes of South Africa</li> <li>South African Wine Law</li> <li>Regions of South Africa</li> <li>Bibliography</li> </ol> </div> <p><a name="01"></a></p> A Brief Introduction <p style="text-align:justify;">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 ^&nbsp;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&rsquo;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.</p> <p style="text-align:justify;">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</p></div><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.restricted', { contentId: '974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ff' }); }); }); </script><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.displayPopup', { }); }); }); </script><div style="clear:both;"></div> https://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa/revision/21Tue, 12 Dec 2023 23:03:44 GMT8277e151-5ba9-4335-93f0-6f497ffb8dc4:974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ffJonathan Eichholzhttps://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa#commentsRevision 21 posted to Expert Guides by Jonathan Eichholz on 12/12/2023 11:03:44 PM<br /> <div class="paywall-restricted"><p><a name="top"></a></p> <div class="box1_home4">&ldquo;It is worth stressing the point: the reentry of South Africa into the world since the early 1990s has meant a growth in international sophistication for its wine. At its best, that has meant not the imposition of a bland &lsquo;international style,&rsquo; but the emergence of the local story, better told.&rdquo;<span class="box1_h4_a">&ndash;&nbsp;Tim James, &quot;Wines of the New South Africa&quot;</span></div> <div class="style_box"> Contents <ol> <li>A Brief Introduction</li> <li>History of South Africa</li> <li>Climate &amp; Geography</li> <li>The Grapes of South Africa</li> <li>South African Wine Law</li> <li>Regions of South Africa</li> <li>Bibliography</li> </ol> </div> <p><a name="01"></a></p> A Brief Introduction <p style="text-align:justify;">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 ^&nbsp;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&rsquo;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.</p> <p style="text-align:justify;">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</p></div><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.restricted', { contentId: '974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ff' }); }); }); </script><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.displayPopup', { }); }); }); </script><div style="clear:both;"></div> https://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa/revision/20Fri, 08 Dec 2023 16:12:12 GMT8277e151-5ba9-4335-93f0-6f497ffb8dc4:974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ffJonathan Eichholzhttps://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa#commentsRevision 20 posted to Expert Guides by Jonathan Eichholz on 12/8/2023 4:12:12 PM<br /> <div class="paywall-restricted"><p><a name="top"></a></p> <div class="box1_home4">&ldquo;It is worth stressing the point: the reentry of South Africa into the world since the early 1990s has meant a growth in international sophistication for its wine. At its best, that has meant not the imposition of a bland &lsquo;international style,&rsquo; but the emergence of the local story, better told.&rdquo;<span class="box1_h4_a">&ndash;&nbsp;Tim James, &quot;Wines of the New South Africa&quot;</span></div> <div class="style_box"> Contents <ol> <li>A Brief Introduction</li> <li>History of South Africa</li> <li>Climate &amp; Geography</li> <li>The Grapes of South Africa</li> <li>South African Wine Law</li> <li>Regions of South Africa</li> <li>Bibliography</li> </ol> </div> <p><a name="01"></a></p> A Brief Introduction <p style="text-align:justify;">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 ^&nbsp;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&rsquo;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.</p> <p style="text-align:justify;">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</p></div><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.restricted', { contentId: '974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ff' }); }); }); </script><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.displayPopup', { }); }); }); </script><div style="clear:both;"></div> https://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa/revision/19Mon, 30 Oct 2023 15:36:43 GMT8277e151-5ba9-4335-93f0-6f497ffb8dc4:974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ffGuildSomm Adminhttps://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa#commentsRevision 19 posted to Expert Guides by GuildSomm Admin on 10/30/2023 3:36:43 PM<br /> <div class="paywall-restricted"><p><a name="top"></a></p> <div class="box1_home4">&ldquo;It is worth stressing the point: the reentry of South Africa into the world since the early 1990s has meant a growth in international sophistication for its wine. At its best, that has meant not the imposition of a bland &lsquo;international style,&rsquo; but the emergence of the local story, better told.&rdquo;<span class="box1_h4_a">&ndash;&nbsp;Tim James, &quot;Wines of the New South Africa&quot;</span></div> <div class="style_box"> Contents <ol> <li>A Brief Introduction</li> <li>History of South Africa</li> <li>Climate &amp; Geography</li> <li>The Grapes of South Africa</li> <li>South African Wine Law</li> <li>Regions of South Africa</li> <li>Bibliography</li> </ol> </div> <p><a name="01"></a></p> A Brief Introduction <p style="text-align:justify;">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 ^&nbsp;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&rsquo;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.</p> <p style="text-align:justify;">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</p></div><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.restricted', { contentId: '974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ff' }); }); }); </script><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.displayPopup', { }); }); }); </script><div style="clear:both;"></div> https://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa/revision/18Sun, 01 Oct 2023 17:17:28 GMT8277e151-5ba9-4335-93f0-6f497ffb8dc4:974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ffJonathan Eichholzhttps://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa#commentsRevision 18 posted to Expert Guides by Jonathan Eichholz on 10/1/2023 5:17:28 PM<br /> <div class="paywall-restricted"><p><a name="top"></a></p> <div class="box1_home4">&ldquo;It is worth stressing the point: the reentry of South Africa into the world since the early 1990s has meant a growth in international sophistication for its wine. At its best, that has meant not the imposition of a bland &lsquo;international style,&rsquo; but the emergence of the local story, better told.&rdquo;<span class="box1_h4_a">&ndash;&nbsp;Tim James, &quot;Wines of the New South Africa&quot;</span></div> <div class="style_box"> Contents <ol> <li>A Brief Introduction</li> <li>History of South Africa</li> <li>Climate &amp; Geography</li> <li>The Grapes of South Africa</li> <li>South African Wine Law</li> <li>Regions of South Africa</li> <li>Bibliography</li> </ol> </div> <p><a name="01"></a></p> A Brief Introduction <p style="text-align:justify;">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 ^&nbsp;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&rsquo;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.</p> <p style="text-align:justify;">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</p></div><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.restricted', { contentId: '974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ff' }); }); }); </script><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.displayPopup', { }); }); }); </script><div style="clear:both;"></div> https://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa/revision/17Thu, 22 Jun 2023 22:02:00 GMT8277e151-5ba9-4335-93f0-6f497ffb8dc4:974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ffGuildSomm Adminhttps://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa#commentsRevision 17 posted to Expert Guides by GuildSomm Admin on 6/22/2023 10:02:00 PM<br /> <div class="paywall-restricted"><p><a name="top"></a></p> <div class="box1_home4">&ldquo;It is worth stressing the point: the reentry of South Africa into the world since the early 1990s has meant a growth in international sophistication for its wine. At its best, that has meant not the imposition of a bland &lsquo;international style,&rsquo; but the emergence of the local story, better told.&rdquo;<span class="box1_h4_a">&ndash;&nbsp;Tim James, &quot;Wines of the New South Africa&quot;</span></div> <div class="style_box"> Contents <ol> <li>A Brief Introduction</li> <li>History of South Africa</li> <li>Climate &amp; Geography</li> <li>The Grapes of South Africa</li> <li>South African Wine Law</li> <li>Regions of South Africa</li> <li>Bibliography</li> </ol> </div> <p><a name="01"></a></p> A Brief Introduction <p style="text-align:justify;">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 ^&nbsp;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&rsquo;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.</p> <p style="text-align:justify;">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</p></div><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.restricted', { contentId: '974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ff' }); }); }); </script><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.displayPopup', { }); }); }); </script><div style="clear:both;"></div> https://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa/revision/16Mon, 17 Apr 2023 13:29:35 GMT8277e151-5ba9-4335-93f0-6f497ffb8dc4:974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ffJonathan Eichholzhttps://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa#commentsRevision 16 posted to Expert Guides by Jonathan Eichholz on 4/17/2023 1:29:35 PM<br /> <div class="paywall-restricted"><p><a name="top"></a></p> <div class="box1_home4">&ldquo;It is worth stressing the point: the reentry of South Africa into the world since the early 1990s has meant a growth in international sophistication for its wine. At its best, that has meant not the imposition of a bland &lsquo;international style,&rsquo; but the emergence of the local story, better told.&rdquo;<span class="box1_h4_a">&ndash;&nbsp;Tim James, &quot;Wines of the New South Africa&quot;</span></div> <div class="style_box"> Contents <ol> <li>A Brief Introduction</li> <li>History of South Africa</li> <li>Climate &amp; Geography</li> <li>The Grapes of South Africa</li> <li>South African Wine Law</li> <li>Regions of South Africa</li> <li>Bibliography</li> </ol> </div> <p><a name="01"></a></p> A Brief Introduction <p style="text-align:justify;">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 ^&nbsp;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&rsquo;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.</p> <p style="text-align:justify;">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</p></div><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.restricted', { contentId: '974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ff' }); }); }); </script><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.displayPopup', { }); }); }); </script><div style="clear:both;"></div> https://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa/revision/15Wed, 22 Mar 2023 14:52:07 GMT8277e151-5ba9-4335-93f0-6f497ffb8dc4:974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ffJonathan Eichholzhttps://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa#commentsRevision 15 posted to Expert Guides by Jonathan Eichholz on 3/22/2023 2:52:07 PM<br /> <div class="paywall-restricted"><p><a name="top"></a></p> <div class="box1_home4">&ldquo;It is worth stressing the point: the reentry of South Africa into the world since the early 1990s has meant a growth in international sophistication for its wine. At its best, that has meant not the imposition of a bland &lsquo;international style,&rsquo; but the emergence of the local story, better told.&rdquo;<span class="box1_h4_a">&ndash;&nbsp;Tim James, &quot;Wines of the New South Africa&quot;</span></div> <div class="style_box"> Contents <ol> <li>A Brief Introduction</li> <li>History of South Africa</li> <li>Climate &amp; Geography</li> <li>The Grapes of South Africa</li> <li>South African Wine Law</li> <li>Regions of South Africa</li> <li>Bibliography</li> </ol> </div> <p><a name="01"></a></p> A Brief Introduction <p style="text-align:justify;">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 ^&nbsp;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&rsquo;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.</p> <p style="text-align:justify;">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</p></div><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.restricted', { contentId: '974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ff' }); }); }); </script><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.displayPopup', { }); }); }); </script><div style="clear:both;"></div> https://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa/revision/14Mon, 13 Mar 2023 17:25:29 GMT8277e151-5ba9-4335-93f0-6f497ffb8dc4:974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ffJonathan Eichholzhttps://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa#commentsRevision 14 posted to Expert Guides by Jonathan Eichholz on 3/13/2023 5:25:29 PM<br /> <div class="paywall-restricted"><p><a name="top"></a></p> <div class="box1_home4">&ldquo;It is worth stressing the point: the reentry of South Africa into the world since the early 1990s has meant a growth in international sophistication for its wine. At its best, that has meant not the imposition of a bland &lsquo;international style,&rsquo; but the emergence of the local story, better told.&rdquo;<span class="box1_h4_a">&ndash;&nbsp;Tim James, &quot;Wines of the New South Africa&quot;</span></div> <div class="style_box"> Contents <ol> <li>A Brief Introduction</li> <li>History of South Africa</li> <li>Climate &amp; Geography</li> <li>The Grapes of South Africa</li> <li>South African Wine Law</li> <li>Regions of South Africa</li> <li>Bibliography</li> </ol> </div> <p><a name="01"></a></p> A Brief Introduction <p style="text-align:justify;">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 ^&nbsp;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&rsquo;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.</p> <p style="text-align:justify;">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</p></div><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.restricted', { contentId: '974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ff' }); }); }); </script><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.displayPopup', { }); }); }); </script><div style="clear:both;"></div> https://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa/revision/13Fri, 10 Mar 2023 22:59:53 GMT8277e151-5ba9-4335-93f0-6f497ffb8dc4:974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ffGuildSomm Adminhttps://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa#commentsRevision 13 posted to Expert Guides by GuildSomm Admin on 3/10/2023 10:59:53 PM<br /> <div class="paywall-restricted"><p><a name="top"></a></p> <div class="box1_home4">&ldquo;It is worth stressing the point: the reentry of South Africa into the world since the early 1990s has meant a growth in international sophistication for its wine. At its best, that has meant not the imposition of a bland &lsquo;international style,&rsquo; but the emergence of the local story, better told.&rdquo;<span class="box1_h4_a">&ndash;&nbsp;Tim James, &quot;Wines of the New South Africa&quot;</span></div> <div class="style_box"> Contents <ol> <li>A Brief Introduction</li> <li>History of South Africa</li> <li>Climate &amp; Geography</li> <li>The Grapes of South Africa</li> <li>South African Wine Law</li> <li>Regions of South Africa</li> <li>Bibliography</li> </ol> </div> <p><a name="01"></a></p> A Brief Introduction <p style="text-align:justify;">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 ^&nbsp;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&rsquo;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.</p> <p style="text-align:justify;">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</p></div><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.restricted', { contentId: '974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ff' }); }); }); </script><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.displayPopup', { }); }); }); </script><div style="clear:both;"></div> https://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa/revision/12Tue, 01 Mar 2022 20:06:42 GMT8277e151-5ba9-4335-93f0-6f497ffb8dc4:974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ffStacy Ladenburgerhttps://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa#commentsRevision 12 posted to Expert Guides by Stacy Ladenburger on 3/1/2022 8:06:42 PM<br /> <div class="paywall-restricted"><p><a name="top"></a></p> <div class="box1_home4">&ldquo;It is worth stressing the point: the reentry of South Africa into the world since the early 1990s has meant a growth in international sophistication for its wine. At its best, that has meant not the imposition of a bland &lsquo;international style,&rsquo; but the emergence of the local story, better told.&rdquo;<span class="box1_h4_a">&ndash;&nbsp;Tim James, &quot;Wines of the New South Africa&quot;</span></div> <div class="style_box"> Contents <ol> <li>A Brief Introduction</li> <li>History of South Africa</li> <li>Climate &amp; Geography</li> <li>The Grapes of South Africa</li> <li>South African Wine Law</li> <li>Regions of South Africa</li> <li>Bibliography</li> </ol> </div> <p><a name="01"></a></p> A Brief Introduction <p style="text-align:justify;">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 ^&nbsp;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&rsquo;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.</p> <p style="text-align:justify;">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</p></div><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.restricted', { contentId: '974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ff' }); }); }); </script><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.displayPopup', { }); }); }); </script><div style="clear:both;"></div> https://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa/revision/11Tue, 21 Dec 2021 16:19:19 GMT8277e151-5ba9-4335-93f0-6f497ffb8dc4:974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ffJennifer Angelosantehttps://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa#commentsRevision 11 posted to Expert Guides by Jennifer Angelosante on 12/21/2021 4:19:19 PM<br /> <div class="paywall-restricted"><p><a name="top"></a></p> <div class="box1_home4">&ldquo;It is worth stressing the point: the reentry of South Africa into the world since the early 1990s has meant a growth in international sophistication for its wine. At its best, that has meant not the imposition of a bland &lsquo;international style,&rsquo; but the emergence of the local story, better told.&rdquo;<span class="box1_h4_a">&ndash;&nbsp;Tim James, &quot;Wines of the New South Africa&quot;</span></div> <div class="style_box"> Contents <ol> <li>A Brief Introduction</li> <li>History of South Africa</li> <li>Climate &amp; Geography</li> <li>The Grapes of South Africa</li> <li>South African Wine Law</li> <li>Regions of South Africa</li> <li>Bibliography</li> </ol> </div> <p><a name="01"></a></p> A Brief Introduction <p style="text-align:justify;">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 ^&nbsp;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&rsquo;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.</p> <p style="text-align:justify;">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</p></div><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.restricted', { contentId: '974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ff' }); }); }); </script><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.displayPopup', { }); }); }); </script><div style="clear:both;"></div> https://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa/revision/10Tue, 21 Dec 2021 16:16:45 GMT8277e151-5ba9-4335-93f0-6f497ffb8dc4:974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ffJennifer Angelosantehttps://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa#commentsRevision 10 posted to Expert Guides by Jennifer Angelosante on 12/21/2021 4:16:45 PM<br /> <div class="paywall-restricted"><p><a name="top"></a></p> <div class="box1_home4">&ldquo;It is worth stressing the point: the reentry of South Africa into the world since the early 1990s has meant a growth in international sophistication for its wine. At its best, that has meant not the imposition of a bland &lsquo;international style,&rsquo; but the emergence of the local story, better told.&rdquo;<span class="box1_h4_a">&ndash;&nbsp;Tim James, &quot;Wines of the New South Africa&quot;</span></div> <div class="style_box"> Contents <ol> <li>A Brief Introduction</li> <li>History of South Africa</li> <li>Climate &amp; Geography</li> <li>The Grapes of South Africa</li> <li>South African Wine Law</li> <li>Regions of South Africa</li> <li>Bibliography</li> </ol> </div> <p><a name="01"></a></p> A Brief Introduction <p style="text-align:justify;">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 ^&nbsp;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&rsquo;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.</p> <p style="text-align:justify;">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</p></div><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.restricted', { contentId: '974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ff' }); }); }); </script><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.displayPopup', { }); }); }); </script><div style="clear:both;"></div> https://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa/revision/9Tue, 21 Dec 2021 16:11:26 GMT8277e151-5ba9-4335-93f0-6f497ffb8dc4:974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ffJennifer Angelosantehttps://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa#commentsRevision 9 posted to Expert Guides by Jennifer Angelosante on 12/21/2021 4:11:26 PM<br /> <div class="paywall-restricted"><p><a name="top"></a></p> <div class="box1_home4">&ldquo;It is worth stressing the point: the reentry of South Africa into the world since the early 1990s has meant a growth in international sophistication for its wine. At its best, that has meant not the imposition of a bland &lsquo;international style,&rsquo; but the emergence of the local story, better told.&rdquo;<span class="box1_h4_a">&ndash;&nbsp;Tim James, &quot;Wines of the New South Africa&quot;</span></div> <div class="style_box"> Contents <ol> <li>A Brief Introduction</li> <li>History of South Africa</li> <li>Climate &amp; Geography</li> <li>The Grapes of South Africa</li> <li>South African Wine Law</li> <li>Regions of South Africa</li> <li>Bibliography</li> </ol> </div> <p><a name="01"></a></p> A Brief Introduction <p style="text-align:justify;">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 ^&nbsp;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&rsquo;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.</p> <p style="text-align:justify;">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</p></div><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.restricted', { contentId: '974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ff' }); }); }); </script><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.displayPopup', { }); }); }); </script><div style="clear:both;"></div> https://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa/revision/8Tue, 21 Dec 2021 16:03:38 GMT8277e151-5ba9-4335-93f0-6f497ffb8dc4:974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ffJennifer Angelosantehttps://www.guildsomm.com/research/expert_guides/w/expert-guides/2430/south-africa#commentsRevision 8 posted to Expert Guides by Jennifer Angelosante on 12/21/2021 4:03:38 PM<br /> <div class="paywall-restricted"><p><a name="top"></a></p> <div class="box1_home4">&ldquo;It is worth stressing the point: the reentry of South Africa into the world since the early 1990s has meant a growth in international sophistication for its wine. At its best, that has meant not the imposition of a bland &lsquo;international style,&rsquo; but the emergence of the local story, better told.&rdquo;<span class="box1_h4_a">&ndash;&nbsp;Tim James, &quot;Wines of the New South Africa&quot;</span></div> <div class="style_box"> Contents <ol> <li>A Brief Introduction</li> <li>History of South Africa</li> <li>Climate &amp; Geography</li> <li>The Grapes of South Africa</li> <li>South African Wine Law</li> <li>Regions of South Africa</li> <li>Bibliography</li> </ol> </div> <p><a name="01"></a></p> A Brief Introduction <p style="text-align:justify;">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 ^&nbsp;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&rsquo;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.</p> <p style="text-align:justify;">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</p></div><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.restricted', { contentId: '974943c3-7239-439d-bc77-a0e8feafc1ff' }); }); }); </script><script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(function(){ jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.subscribe('paywall.ready', function (data) { jQuery.telligent.evolution.messaging.publish('paywall.displayPopup', { }); }); }); </script><div style="clear:both;"></div>