D4.C20. South Africa Flashcards

1
Q

What are two main categories of sparkling wines produced in South Africa?

A
  • Inexpensive, carbonated
  • Traditional method
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2
Q

What are the properties of inexpensive carbonated wines of South Africa?

A
  • Made with a range of varieties including Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat and Pinotage
  • Fruity
  • Often off-dry to sweet
  • Primarily consumed in the domestic market and exported to the sub-Saharan territories, especially Angola, Mozambique and Nigeria
  • Acceptable to good quality
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3
Q

What are the properties of traditional method sparkling wines (Cap Calssique) of South Africa?

A
  • Made principally from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, as well as Chenin Blanc and Pinotage (95%)
  • Medium (+) acidity
  • Medium alcohol
  • Ripe apple and citrus fruit
  • Varying levels of autolytic flavours
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4
Q

What is the quality/price range for Cap Classique?

A
  • Good to very good in quality
  • Mid- to premium-priced
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5
Q

When did the Cap Classique Association founded?

A

1992

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6
Q

How many percent of the bottle fermented sparkling wines produced in South Africa is produced by the members of Cap Classique Association?

A

Over 90%

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7
Q

What are the Cap Classique standards that are now enshrined in law?

A
  • The wine to undergo second fermentation in the same bottle that goes to market
  • Minimum of three bars of pressure post-disgorgement
  • Minimum of twelve months on the lees
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8
Q

What are the regions that fruits for Cap Classique wines come from?

A
  • Robertson
  • Stellenbosch
  • Paarl
  • Darling
  • Tulbagh
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9
Q

Which characteristics of Robertson and Bonnievale (in Breede River) make them ideal for sparkling wine production?

A
  • Only these two regions have significant amounts of limestone soils
  • Both are relatively narrow valleys that makes them slower to warm up in the morning (due to shade from the mountains)
  • Temperatures drop in the afternoon because of cool breezes from the ocean at Cape Agulhas that run up the Breede River
  • They are the regions with the biggest diurnal shift
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10
Q

What is the soil in regions that are producing Cap Classique, other than Robertson and Bonnievale?

A

Shale, clay and decomposed granite

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11
Q

What do most producers of Cap Classique do to increase the complexity of their wines?

A

They choose to source fruit from a number of regions

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12
Q

Growers wait for how many days after flowering before picking for Cap Classique? Why?

A
  • 90 days
  • Hang time is achieved by adapting viticultural practice
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13
Q

What is the common viticultural practice for Cap Classique?

A

Growers leave more growth on the vines to create extra shading, which slows down ripening and retains acidity

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14
Q

The grapes for Cap Classique are picked at potential alcohol of:

A

9.5–11% abv, with a view to the final wine
being around 12% abv

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15
Q

What are the common winemaking processes for carbonated sparkling wines in South Africa?

A
  • Stopping fermentation early to retain residual sugar
  • Carbonation
  • Released for early sale in order to preserve the fruit character.
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16
Q

What are the common viticultural and winemaking choices for traditional method sparkling wines in South Africa?

A
  • Hand harvesting
  • Carrying in small baskets
  • Whole-bunch press (recommended, but not required, for Cap Classique)
  • Better producers will separate press fractions and use them as needed during blending
  • Acidification of musts is commonplace
  • Some ferment a portion of the fruit in old barrels to add richness
  • Reserve wines (around 10%) are used by premium houses
  • Minimum time on the lees in bottle is 12 months
  • Some Cap Classique producers choose
    15–18 months for non-vintage and longer for vintage and prestige cuvée wines
17
Q

How are the rosé sparkling wines produced in South Africa?

A
  • Blending white and red wines in order to
    control the amount of tannins and colour (more common)
  • By the maceration of a black grape variety prior to primary fermentation
18
Q

What is the current aim of Cap Classique Producers’ Association?

A

It is currently working to introduce an additional higher quality category that would restrict the grape varieties that can be used and would require whole bunch pressing and a longer time on the lees

19
Q

Cap Classique is dominated by how many companies?

A
  • 7
  • J. C. Le Roux, one of the seven, also makes carbonated sparkling wine
20
Q

What is the trend in Cap Classique production?

A
  • It is the fastest growing category in South Africa
  • Sales doubling every five years in recent decades
  • It increased its share of South African sparkling wine production from 30 to 40% of all production between 2014 and 2018
21
Q

Name a company producing Cap Classique that is successful in export market?

A

Graham Beck. It exports 50% of its production

22
Q

What is the aim of the Cap Classique producers for the domestic market?

A
  • To make Cap Classique attractive to those consumers who currently drink top-quality Champagne
  • To attract the new middle classes who are moving from beer to wine
23
Q

How much sparkling wine has been exported in 2020 from South Africa? Why is that lower than the peak in 2012?

A
  • 3 million L
  • Because of vagaries of exchange rates, market fluctuation and Covid 19
24
Q

What are the top export markets for South African sparkling wine?

A
  • Angola
  • Sweden
  • UK
25
Q

By which means does the Cap Classique Producers’ Association promote the wine?

A
  • Public tastings
  • iAnnual tasting of base wines for producers
  • Technical conference every two years
26
Q

Name another body that promote Cap Classique other than The Cap Classique Producers’ Association

A

Wines of South Africa