South Africa Flashcards
What are the major challenges to South African wine production?
water shortages,
virus problems such as leafroll,
poor clonal and rootstock material
What is the vector for leaf roll virus?
mealy bugs
causes green-ness in wines, lower yields
Who proved it is possible to eradicate leaf roll using systemic insecticides and uprooting / replanting ?
Vergelegen
When was the first crush in South Africa and who commissioned it?
1659
Jan Van Riebeek - Dutch East India Company
Who developed the Constantia vineyard as the governor?
Simon van der Stel - 1691
When did the French come to South Africa and where did they settle?
1680s the Huguenots came to settle in Franschoek (between Stellenbosch and Paarl)
British took over control of the Cape from the Dutch in what year?
1814
in 1902 the British defeated the Dutch in the Boer War to unify the colonies to one nation
When did South Africa become a democracy?
1994
True or False : Up to the mid-90s, 80% of the vines planted in SA were white grape varieties
TRUE!
When did the WO system debut?
1972
administered by the Wine & Spirit Board
guarantees vintage, varietal, origin
1973 - UK enters the EEC
When was the debut of the IPW (Integrated Production of Wine Scheme)
1998
administered by the Wine & Spirit Board - seal for sustainability and integrity (97% of wineries are sealed)
What is the BWI
Biodiversity & Wine Initiative est. in 2004
housed within the World WIldlife Fund - conservation and preservation of natural habitat over 130,000 ha (1.3 ha for every ha of vineyard land)F
What was the effect of the KWV?
Overproduction (set minimum prices, vineyard quotas) and stagnation of the wine industry,
no new vineyards being developed, no advances in technology or quality
Who are some producers that rebelled against the strict laws of the KWV?
Timothy Hamilton Russell planted pinot in Hemel en Aarde where there were no vineyard quotas,
Danie De Wet and Peter Finlayson imported illegal vine cuttings of chardonnay (and accidentally auxerrois which incriminated them)
What is the Platter’s Guide?
A critical review established in 1980
What is the Cape Winemaker’s Guild?
A grower’s association formed in 1982
What is the geology of South Africa?
generally uniform - granite capped by sandstone;
quartz, shale, and slate scattered throughout
Shale and Sandstone viticulture
low-vigor soils - helps ward off virus - more clay helps water retention
What is the Cape Doctor?
A fierce southeaster that generally alleviates disease pressure - blows from spring to late summer
What is the effect of the Benguela Current?
It is a cooling, humid current that swirls up from Antarctica - tempering the Mediterranean climate and slowing the growing season
What are the levels of the Origin hierarchy from general to most specific?
Geographical Unit,
Region,
District,
Ward
What are the most important Regions in SA for fine wine production?
(Western Cape) Coastal Region, Cape South Coast
Fruit from the Coastal Region and Cape South Coast can be designated under the WO ____
Cape Coastal
What is the first ‘subregion’ WO? (new category)
Cape West Coast - encompasses coastal districts, wards, and the western half of Swartland