South Africa Flashcards
1
Q
quick history of sa wines
A
- origins 360 years ago when europeans are settling in the cape of good hope
- start in 94 first democratic election won by the African National Congress (both bulk and premium) mostly dominated by the co-op KMW
- export boom of last recent years with 85% of grapes used for wine and not spirits
2
Q
general climate of sa and latitude
A
warm mediterranean
climate 32-35 (similar to california and istrael)
3
Q
influences of sa
A
- western cape’s mountain ranges
- proximity of the oceans
- benguela current (cold north current) + agulhas current (warm from indian ocean)
- cape doctor
4
Q
cape doctor, what is it?
pro and cons
A
south-eastern wind comes during spring/summer
extends effect of cold benguela current
pro: brings rains into south coast, inhibits diseases
cons: damage leaves (photonsynthesis/ripeness) affects flowering and berry set [reduce yields]
5
Q
2 main problems in sa climate
A
- spring frost (not always)
- lack of winter freeze (vines do not rest in winter)
6
Q
rains in sa and remedies
A
depends on the area usually in may/august
70mm around stellenbosch, north less ( reduce effect of benguela and rain shadow effect)
irrigation (usually drip) or old vines are necessary drought is a recent problem, some vineyards are dry farmed
7
Q
most planted varieties in sa
A
- chenin (20% production, total is double loire)
- colombard
- cab sauv
- syrah
- sauv blanc
- pinotage
- chardonnay
- merlot
8
Q
where pinotage comes from
A
cross of pinot noir with cinsault bred at Univeristy of Stellenbosch in 1925
9
Q
pinotage specs
A
- early budding
- moderating susceptible to fungal
- high sugar accumulates fast
- deep colour (just 5 days on skin for deep)
10
Q
winemaking techniques to make better pinotage
A
- avoiding water stress in the vineyard
- avoid high fermentation temperatures
11
Q
three main soils in sa
A
- table mountain sandstone - low nutrients, water retention (careful irrigation or fertilisation)
- granite (mountains foothills or hills) - water retention
- shale (scisto) - high nutrients, good water retention
12
Q
water retention soils can advantage what technique?
A
dry farming
13
Q
main problem in the soils of sa
A
extremely acid - needs lime treatment to balance ph (nutrients might not be available to the vine to grow), sometimes lower density of planting
14
Q
viruses/diseases in sa
A
- leafroll and fanleaf (remedy is plant virus tested vines)
- powdery mildew (remedy is fungicides, organic methods)
15
Q
most common training and pruning systems
A
- vsp (pruning is easier)
- short spur pruning (mechanisation)
16
Q
is hand harvest suitable in sa?
A
yes, as there’s enough labour
17
Q
in sa yields are depending on what?
A
- presence or absence of irrigation
- vine spacing
- vine age
- producer style (inexpensive or premium)
18
Q
is organic farming famous in sa?
A
few organic biodynamic high IPM (integrated pest management) and IPW (integrated production of wine)
19
Q
IPW
A
integrated production of wine 1998 system detailed towards carbon emission, conservation of soils, riverse and wetlands 90% of exported producers are signed in
20
Q
yield and harvesting chenin: inexpensive vs premium
A
inexpensive: high yields, spraying to avoid botrytis, no sorting at harvesting
premium: low yields, dry land/old vines, small botrytis can be allowed, careful sorting during harvesting
21
Q
are inexpensive chenin blended?
A
yes, with colombard up to 15% or other lesser varieties
22
Q
is acidification common in Sa?
A
yes for inexpensive, in premium is avoided
23
Q
ageing chenin in premium wines
A
lees 3-9 months old oak, concrete eggs, amphora
10-12 months oak ageing (% of new is possible)
depends on the producer
24
Q
winemaking choices for pinotage
A
- cold soak (improve colour extraction)
- pumping over/punch down at the start of fermentation (lower alcohol level, less tannin extraction)
- early release for inexpensive (6-12 months), oak chips are sometimes used, premium 12-15 months in oak (50% at least new usually) and released after 2 years
25
3 main blends in south africa
1. white cape blends (chenin dominant with rhone varieties, chard, semillon and sauvignon blanc)
2. red bordeaux blends (also some whites)
3. red cape blends (varies but usually mostly pinotage and rhone varieties)
26
production areas in sa
political or geographical units:
1. geographical unit - very large areas (e.g. walker bay)
2. region - large areas named after a major feature (coastal region, breede river valley) more terroir based:
3. district (e.g. stellebosch like wards but defined within major centres e.g. mountain range or city centres)
4. ward (based on terroir - soil, climate, ecological
27
estate wines - laws
grown, made and bottled at the estate
28
single vineyard in label laws
registered and planted with 1 variety not bigger than 6ha
29
what is labeling goal for wines of origin scheme
make sure that what is written on the label is true
30
labeling rules for WO scheme
1. region 100% from the stated region
2. vintage and variety 85%
31
coastal region % production
45% total area under vine in the country
25% of total south african wine yield are typically lower than other area
32
coastal region districts
cape town
darling
franschhoek
paarl
stellenbosch
swartland
33
most famous wards of cape town district
costantia
durbanville
34
costantia ward specs
1. vineyards planted on east-facing slopes of costantiaberg (south of table mountains)
2. false bay brings cooling sea breeze
3. granite soils above a layer of sandstone
4. rainfall 1000mm
35
most important producers in costantia ward
vin de costance - klein costantia steenberg
36
durbanville ward specs
1. vineyards planted on tigerberg hills facing east
2. altitude 100-300
3. 500mm rainfall
4. shale soils with high water holding capacity (dry farming)
5. cooling breezes from false bay
37
most planted variety in durbanville and top producers
sauvignon blanc bloemendal diemersdal
38
stellenbosch is famous for being...
business and educational hub of south africa, school of oenology and oldest wine region after costantia
39
largest wine and spirit producer in south africa
distell (wine and spirit) backed by investments from home and abroad and growers who sells fruit from co-ops, merchants and wineries
40
stellenbosch specs
1. cooler mountains slopes
2. various soils types (A valley floor clos to false bay with sandy alluvional soils, B slopes of simonsberg, bottelary hills and stellenbosch mountan and helderberg granite and shale soils)
3. rainfall 600-900mt
41
varieties in stellenbosch
cabernet sauvignon
merlot
pinotage
sauvignon blanc
chenin blanc
chardonnay
42
most important thing for stellenbosch wine styles
1. picking time - picking early
2. yields - low yield
43
most famous ward in stellebosch and specs
simonsberg-stellenbosch lower slopes of south-west-side of simonsberg
1. warmer (away from false bay)
2. open to ocean breezes (high diurnal range)
3. cab sauv, single or pinotage blend
4. producers are kanonkop, rustenberg
44
paarl specs
1. warmer than stellebosch
2. many soils and aspects
3. 800-900mm rainfall
4. berg river (irrigation)
45
plantings in paarl (varieties)
chenin cab sauv shiraz pinotage viognier mourvedre tipically more fuller body
46
famous wards paarl
simonsberg-paarl
voor paarderberg
47
famous producers in paarl
nederburg (distell group) villafonte
48
simonsberg paarl ward specs
1. warmer side of simonsberg
2. higher elevation that normal paarl (higher diurnal)
3. chardonnay/shiraz
4. producers are glen carlou, plaisir de merle
49
franschhoek district specs
1. covered on three sides by mountains (shelter, warmth)
2. 300 mt altitude valley floor till slopes 600mt
3. 800mm rainfall, still irrigation is used
50
franschhoek planted varieties
sauvignon blanc cab sauv shiraz old vine semillon home of cap classique sparkling
51
franschhoek top producers
boekenhoustskloof (chocolate block)
cape chamonix
52
darling district specs
1. range of hills parallel to cold west coast (different aspects)
2. breeze from the atlantic
3. granite soil (high water retaining content than other areas) = dry farming/bush vines
4. top producers: neil ellis, groote post
5. most famous ward: groenekloof
53
swartland district specs
1. warm dry climate
2. 500mm rainfall (mostly during growing season) = irrigation
3. old vines, low yields
4. low fertility granite and shale (paarderberg)
54
2 kind of producers in swartland
1. co-ops - perderberg and riebeek valley
2. growers - spice route (charles bacl), eben sadie, chris mullineux
55
common rules for growers in swartland
dri farming low yields organic/biodynamic old vines ambient yeast old oak
56
tulbagh district specs
1. warm dry sheltered valley (no coastal contact)
2. altitude (450-500mt)
3. cold morning air
4. soil water holding capacity - rain falls from the upper slopes in pounds used for irrigation
5. chenin blanc and colombard, premium cape blends (pinotage and shiraz)
6. saronberg top producer
57
wellington district specs
1. shiraz, red blends (full body powerful)
2. vine nursery 85% comes from here
3. bosman family top producer
58
wellington 2 main sides
1. alluvial terraces around swartland hills
2. foothills of the hawequa mountains (different aspects soils)
59
breede river valley is famous for
high yield inexpensive wines produces most grapes in SA, both ine and distillery
60
breede river valley key specs
breede river (source of irrigation)
61
famous districts in breede river valley
breedekloof
worcester
robertson
62
breedekloof specs
1. upper area of breede river, warm continental climate (late harvest)
2. adequate rainfall (no irrigatio needed)
3. winter/spring snow delay budbust/spring frost risk
4. cool summer south-east winds (moderate, reduce fungal)
5. chenin. colombard, chardonnay, pinotage, shiraz, cab sauv
6. co-op du toiskloof, deetlefs
63
worcester specs
1. low rainfall (400mm) - rain shadow effect of surrounding mountains - irrigation is needed
2. loamy soils - fertile, high production (mostly brandy)
3. colombrd, chenin, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, viognier, shiraz
64
robertson geographic specs
1. warm, low rainfall (irrigation necessary)
2. south east winds (cooling, mouisture from indian ocean)
3. flat plains - fertile - high yields (brandy)
4. limestone soils in some parts (chardonnay, still and sparkling)
5. shiraz, cabernet mainly
6. producers co-op robertson, graham beck and de wetshof (chardonnay pioneer)
65
olifants river specs
1. most northernly of western cape
2. below 200mm rainfall (irrigatin from olifants river)
3. historically high yields for distillation now quality is emerging
4. 450-500 mt
5. cooling influences from Atlantic ocean
66
quality areas of olifants river region
citrusdale mountain district
lutzville valley district
bamboes bay ward
piekenierskloof ward
dry farmed, old vines
67
olifants river top producers
sadie family alheit vineyards
68
cape south coast region influences and grapes
1. atlantic ocean cooling 2. sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot noir 3. plantigs are recent from the 90s
69
districts and wards in cape south coast
walter bay district (hemel en aarde and bot river ward) elgin district
70
walker bay district main specs
1. close to the atlantic ocean 2. chardonnay/pinot noir (tim hamilton russell planted in 1975)
71
hemel en aarde three wards
1. hemel en aarde valley (lowest, close to atlantic, original planting area, pinot gets up to 14%) 2. upper hemel en aarde (higher elevation, north-west aspect) 3. hemel en aarde ridge (inland, coldest and highest 400mt, south-east facing, babylonstoren mountains traps clouds and shade)
72
hemel en aarde specs
1. cooling winds (reduce vigour and over ripeness) 2. north aspect 3. clay soils (up to 55%), water holding capacity 4. cover crops to reduce water evaporation 5. also some viognier and albarino are planted here
73
what are the big six varieties of south africa?
chenin sauvignon blanc chardonnay cabernet sauvignon shiraz pinotage
74
bot river ward specs
1. bot river lagoon funnels cold winds 2. warmer thn hemel but cooler than paarl/stellenbosch (long growing season) 3. sauvignon blanc, chenin, rhone, pinotage 4. top producer beaumont
75
elgin districts specs
1. inland plateau 200-400mt 2. cooler (altitude, cloud cover, oceans, cold summer breeze) 3. 1000mt rainfall 4. botrytis might be present 5. chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, riesling, pinor noir, merlot, shiraz 6. producers paul cluver, richard kershaw
76
production in klein karoo region
semi-arid region 1. port-style from portuguise varieties 2. fortified muscat 3. chenin colombard from brandy 4. small table wines (sauv, chard, shiraz in coller sites)
77
why the reorganisation of KWV is fundamental to south african market
MWV right went private business in 97 they were before controlling prices, approval of export (no direct selling for producers), quotas for planting and control, with the re-organisation the market switched from quantity to quality
78
wine sold in domestic market
mostly 1litre brick is famous low consumption distell accounts for more than 40% wine sold half of total production is consumed locally other half exported
79
notable export markets for sa
1. UK 2. Germany 3. now usa, china and other african markets
80
problem of sa wine business
switch from inexpensive (bulk) to quality (packaged) is hard bulk is powerful and cost of grapes/must/wine is low, many lost their jobs in finishing and packing - high level of unemployment
