South Africa Flashcards
What role did Jan van Riebeeck play in the history of South African wine making?
He was a member of the Dutch East India Company who founded Cape Town and its first vineyard.
What group fleeing Europe brought with them a wealth of winemaking knowledge?
French Huguenots in the late 1680’s and 1690’s.
What wine from South Africa was also known as “governor’s wine?”
Vin de Constance, introduced by Governor Simon van der Stel’s Constantia estate.
Made from rasinated Muscat de Frontignan (a Petits Grains) grapes.
What 3 estates were formed when Constantia was split and sold?
Groot Constantia ("Great" Constance, Oldest Wine Estate in South Africa)
Klein Constantia ("Little" Constance)
Buitenverwachting (meaning Beyond Expectations)What events in the 19th Century caused a steep decline in the South African wine industry?
In 1861, the British abolished preferential tariffs, meaning that Cape wines had to compete openly with French and German wines. Export costs were also high.
Also, phylloxera appeared in the 1880s.
What organization was formed to support the South African wine industry in 1918? What did it do?
Wijnbouwers Vereniging va Zuid-Afrika (KMW), which had the support of 90% of wine growers.
- Fixed minimum prices
- Determind areas of production
- Established production limits
It did, however, tend to favor larger producers and reward lower quality because it set viable prices for distillation wine.
In descending order of size, what are the four types of production area for Wine of Origin in South Africa?
Geographical Unit
Region
District
Ward
What must a wine do to receive WO status?
- Wine must use an approved cultivar.
- WIne must contain 85% of state variety
- Blends may list several grapes if they are vinified separately and each grape is min. 20% of wine.
- Minimum 85% of vintage
- 100% of grapes must come from stated area
Varietal, Vintage, and Area of Production cannot be used without certification
What is the maximum size for a registered single vineyard in South Africa?
6ha
They must also be planted with a single variety
What are the GIs of South Africa?
Western Cape Northern Cape Eastern Cape Kwazulu-Natal Limpopo Free State
What kind of climate does the Western Cape have?
What environmental factors affect it?
Mediterranean, with warm, sunny growing seasons
Benguela Current: flows North from Antarctica to cool the coastal areas.
Cape Doctor: Strong, southeasterly wind in the Spring and Summer. Inhibits disease, lowers temperatures, but also batters vines.
What WO in South Africa has the coolest climate? What other WO’s is it located within?
Cape Agulhas District
located within the
Cape South Coast Region
located within the
Western Cape GI
What is the most widely planted white grape in South Africa?
What is the most widely planted red grape?
Chenin Blanc (Steen), also the most widely planted grape
Cabernet Sauvignon
Who developed Pinotage? When? From what crossing?
Professor Abraham Perold
1924
Cinsault x Pinot Noir
What name is traditional method sparkling wine known by in South Africa?
Methode Cap Classique
Cape Port and Sherry were phased out when? What is fortified wine more increasingly referred to by?
Port and Sherry were phased out in 2012
Now, fortified wines are increasingly known by their style: Cape Ruby, Cape Tawny, etc.
What GI is the Coastal Region located within?
What districts are located within it?
Western Cape GI
Stellenbosch Cape Town Paarl Tulbagh Darling Franschhoek Valley Lutzville Valley Wellington Swartland
What Wards are located within the Cape Town District?
Constantia
Hout Bay
Durbanville
Philidelphia
Who are some notable producers in Stellenbosch? What are some notable wines?
Warwick Estate “Trilogy”
-Blend of Cab Franc, Cab Sauv, Merlot
Meerlust
-Blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot
Kanonkop
-“Paul Sauer” BDX blend, “Black Label” Pinotage
What mountains separate the Paarl and Stellenbosch regions?
Simonsberg Mountains
What regional WO was dedicated to fortified wine production?
Boberg
it was repealed in 2019
Included Franschhoek, Paarl, Wellington, Tulbagh
What producer makes Edelkuer dessert wine? How is it made, and how was it originally sold?
Nederburg in Paarl
It is a botrytized dessert wine from Chenin Blanc
It was originally sold through the Nederburg Wine Auction in 1975. It is the New World’s oldest wine auction.
