South Africa Flashcards
Where are the vast majority of vines planted in South Africa?
In the South-West of the country, broadly around the city of Cape Town
What is the name of the currant that acts as a cooling influence across the Western Cape?
The Benguela Current.
How are South Africa’s wine regions legally classified?
South Africa’s Wine of Origin scheme has four key terms: units, regions, districts and wards. Units being the largest and wards the smallest geographically.
Which is the most significant Geographical Unit for wine production in South Africa?
Greater Cape. It includes the previous Units of Western Cape, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape
What regions lie in the Western Cape Unit?
Coastal Region, Cape South Coast, Klein Karoo, Breede River and Olifants River
Name a Ward within Western Cape that does not lie within a Region or District
Cederberg, Lambert’s Bay, Prince Albert’a Valley or Swartberg
What Districts lie within the Coastal Region?
Cape Town, Darling, Franshhoek Valley, Lutzville Valley, Paarl, Stellenbosch, Swartland, Tulbagh and Wellington
Name a Ward within the Coastal region that does not lie within a District
Bamboes Bay
Lamberts Bay
Where is the Cape Town District located?
South Western extreme of South Africa. The District surrounds the City of South Africa
What are the key climatic factors of Cape Town?
Exposure to False Bay and the Atlantic Ocean acts as a key cooling factor. The wards of Hauts Bay and Constantia are the mostly affected wards. Durbanville is less affected.
Name the wards of Cape Town and their locations
Constantia - South of Cape Town, directly facing False Bay to the South-South-East
Haut Bay - To the west of Constantia sitting along the coast of Table Bay
Durbanville - North-East of Cape Town
Philadelphia - The northern reaches of the Cape Town District, sits along the border to Darling in the North
Why is the Ward Constantia significant?
What varieties are grown here?
Key climatic factors?
Constantia is significant as it is home to the historic ‘Vin de Constance’ a sweet wine that was world famous in the 18th and early 19th century.
Varieties:
- Muscat Blanc
- Sauvignon Blanc
Climatic factors:
-mountains to the north, east and west create an amphitheatre with the south direct exposed to False Bay. Decidedly cool climate
Who makes Vin de Constance today?
What grapes is it made from? How is it made?
Klein Constance though they are not the original producer.
Made from Muscat Blanc. This sweet wine is made from dried grapes. There is none or very little botrytis influence in the wine. It is not fortified.
What is the dominant style of Sauvignon Blanc in Constantia?
Very fresh, focusing on the grassy characters Sauvignon Blanc high in pyrazines has. Often unoaked to maintain zippy freshness
Name two key producers within Constantia
Klein Constantia: Vin de Constance plus Sauvignon Blanc
Constantia Uitsig: Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon
What is Methode Cap Classique?
Methode Cap Classique (MCC) is a classification for sparkling wine is South Africa.
Requirements: may be made from any variety and any region in South Africa. Secondary fermentation must occur in the bottle and the wine must spend a minimum of 9 months on the lees.
Wines mate be labelled:
Brut - less than 15 grams RS
Extra Brut - less than 6 grams RS
Brut Nature - less than 3 grams RS
What is significant about Hout Bay Ward?
The Ambeloui estate resides within the ward. The Estate only makes MCC wines and is well regarded
What is the name of the cooling winds that flow into Constantia?
The Cape Doctor.
In which region is the Swartland District located? Where is Swartland geographically located?
Swartland lies within the Coastal Region. Geographicaly it is north of the Paarl and Darling Districts and stretches along the Atlantic Coast until it reaches the border with the Oliphants River Valley Region
What are the key climatic factors for the Swartland District?
Higher Latitude plus lack of access to the Southern coast makes it an overall warmer climate. The cooling breezes off the Atlantic Ocean to the west are key for their cooling influences.
Most viticulture occurs inland where it is very dry. Traditional dry-grown viticulture is not possible here. Instead most vines are planted as bush vines that are sparsely planted to allow dry farming.
What are the key varieties grown in Swartland?
White: Chenin Blanc and Colombard
Red: Syrah, Cinsualt and Pinotage
What are the two important Wards within Swartland?
Paardeberg, Riebeeksrivier and Riebeekberg
What are the key climatic factors for Paardeberg?
The region sits at the foothills of Perdeberg ranges. Added elevation, greater exposure to the Atlantic Ocean and its location to the south of Swartland make it one of the coolest parts of Swartland.
What is the main variety planted in Paardeberg?
Chenin Blanc, especially from old bush vines.
Name a popular producer within Paardeberg. What are they most well known for?
A. A. Badenhorst Family Wines. Focus is on producing wines from unirrigated. USB vines.
Cuvée:
Golden Slopes Chenin Blanc
Dassiekop Stein
What is Chenin Blanc commonly known as in South Africa?
Steen
What are Muscat Blanc á Petit Grains and Muscat of Alexandria commonly referred to in South Africa?
Moscadel and Hanepoot respectively
Where are the wards of Riebeeksrivier and Riebeekberg located? What are some climatic factors for these wards?
Further north and further inland than Paardeberg, both receive very little rain.
What varieties are Riebeeksrivier and Riebeekberg well regarded for?
More so red than white. Bush vine Syrah, Cinsault, Grenache and Pinotage
Name two well regarded producers from that produce wine from Riebeeksrivier and Riebeekberg.
Sadie Family Wines. The estate has vines throughout these wards with both red and white grapes contributing to their top cuvées: Palladius a white field blend with Chenin as the base and Columella which is a red blend
Mullineaux. Well regarding for making Syrahs that focus on individual soil profiles.
Which three producers kickstarted ‘The Swartland Revolution’?
Eden Sadie, Mullineux and A A Badenhorst
What organisation did ‘The Swartland Revolution’ turn into?
The Swartland Independent Producers. The organisation seeks to limit ‘non-natural’ viticultural and winemaking techniques. For a wine to qualify for the labelling the fruit must be sourced from Swartland but also vinified in Swartland.