The Cape Winelands
South Africa's wine industry is one of the oldest in the New World, the first wines were made in the Cape in 1659, yet it is experiencing a genuine modern renaissance, driven by a generation of producers making wines of real ambition and distinctiveness.
Stellenbosch: the quality heartland
Stellenbosch, 45km east of Cape Town, is South Africa's most important wine region. The diverse soils (granite in the mountains, clay in the valleys) and moderate Mediterranean climate produce a wide range of styles, but the region is best known for full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Chenin Blanc.
Producers to know: Kanonkop, Meerlust, Rust en Vrede, Neil Ellis, Boekenhoutskloof.
Chenin Blanc: South Africa's great white hope
South Africa is the largest producer of Chenin Blanc in the world. For decades it was used as a bulk blending grape. In the 2010s, producers like Eben Sadie (Sadie Family), Chris Alheit, and Mullineux began working with ancient dry-farmed bush vines, some over 40 years old, and producing Chenin of extraordinary complexity. These wines are now among the world's most exciting whites.
The Swartland revolution
The Swartland, north of Cape Town, is dry, rugged, and planted with old bush vines of Chenin Blanc, Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault. The Swartland Independent Producers collective brought the region to international attention from 2010 onward. The wines are more savourry and textural than conventional Cape wines.
Pinotage: South Africa's unique variety
Pinotage is a crossing of Pinot Noir and Cinsault, developed in South Africa in 1925. At its worst it produces rubbery, medicinal wine. At its best (old vines, careful winemaking) it has dark fruit, smoke, and an earthy character that is entirely its own. Worth approaching with an open mind.
Key regions
- Stellenbosch: quality heartland, Cabernet and Syrah
- Swartland: old vines, Chenin and Rhône varieties
- Hemel-en-Aarde (Walker Bay): cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
- Elgin: high altitude, cool, excellent Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir
