By Jacky Blisson MW
If you want to befriend a South African winemaker, do not refer to their wines as “New World”. The country’s first vineyards were planted in 1655. This may not seem old in comparison with the Etruscan or Roman origins of many European vineyards. However, when you consider how quickly South African wines rose to international prominence, their legitimacy as a longstanding fine wine producer is clear.
From (Grape Growing) Glory to Gloom…
In the 1700s, the famous Vin de Constance, a dessert wine from the Klein Constantia winery, was revered across Europe. Napoleon drank it in exile on the island of Saint Helena. Famous authors, from Baudelaire, to Dickens, to Austin, referenced it in their books.
Despite this promising start, the country’s road to more widespread fine winemaking renown was rocky. All manners of pests and predators attacked the ripening grapevines, causing many growers to pick too early, producing acidic, dilute wines. In the late 19th century, the sap-sucking aphid Phylloxera decimated more than 25% of South Africa’s vineyards.
In the aftermath, the industry was suffering and grape growers needed to recoup lost profits. A vast cooperative winery developed, the KWV (Kooperative Wijnbouwers Vereniging van Zuid Afrika), which set grape prices, incentivizing growers on quantity over quality.
And then came the apartheid regime, cutting South African wines off from international markets. When the country re-opened to foreign markets in the 1990s, many of its vineyards were riddled with viruses. The first South African wines to make their way back to overseas liquor store shelves were cheap jug and boxed wines.
How South Africa got its Groove Back
Fast forward a mere thirty years and the quality improvement in South African wine is nothing short of astonishing. Today, top wine experts and critics are lavish in their praise. South African wine regions, like Stellenbosch, the Swartland, the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, or Elgin, are becoming familiar names among the world’s fine wine vineyard terroirs.
Quality-focused grape growers have been unrelenting in their quest to root out virus, replant with higher quality rootstocks and vines, and move to more sustainable, regenerative farming methods. South African winemakers are traveling widely, honing their craft in vineyards around the world before coming home to apply their learnings.
With such determination and ambition, it is no surprise that the vineyards are flourishing. After all, the Western Cape, home to the majority of South African vineyards, is something of a grape growing paradise.
Vineyards thrive in this warm, sunny Mediterranean climate. The proximity of the Atlantic Ocean provides a vital moderating influence, preserving refreshing acidity in wines and allowing cool climate grapes like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to grow well in the coolest, coastal vineyard areas.
The region’s heat is also tempered by its legendary Cape Doctor wind, a cool, dry gale that blows from the south-east across wide swathes of the vineyards in the summer months. This not only cools vineyards but keeps disease pressure low.
Signature Grapes and Fine Wine Terroirs
Chenin Blanc is the undisputed star of South Africa’s vineyards, accounting for almost one-fifth of the country’s total acreage. In fact, there is more Chenin Blanc planted in South Africa than in the Loire Valley. South African winemakers refer to the grape as a “chameleon” for how different its wines can be depending on vineyard site.
And the diversity of South Africa’s vineyards makes for a rich tapestry of styles. South Africa’s soils are ancient; mainly shale, granite, and sandstone, in varying compositions. The topography, from rugged mountain sites to valley floors, to gentle slopes, and the wide range of local meso-climates has resulted in a precise division of vineyards into regions, districts, and smaller “wards”.
Now, South Africa’s fine wine production is focused on these regional, to vineyard specific, expressions. While Chenin Blanc grows widely across the Cape, many other grapes are becoming firmly associated with place, like Swartland Syrah, the Pinots of the Hemel-en-Aarde, Chardonnay from Elgin, and so forth. South Africa is also home to its own distinctive grape, Pinotage – a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault developed locally. The smoky, gamey, dark fruited aromas and brooding personality of Pinotage is truly unique. Happily, quality has skyrocketed, but the amazing value these wines offer remains the same. From top notch Cap Classique traditional method sparkling wines, to bold reds, there are fantastic wines to discover across the board.
Jacky Blisson MW is an independent wine educator, writer, and consultant with over two decades of experience in all facets of the global wine trade. She is the first Master of Wine in Québec and one of only ten across Canada.