South Africa Flashcards
What are the regions of the Western Cape GU
Coastal Region
Cape South Coast
Breede River Valley
Klein Karro
Olifants River
What are the nine districts of the the Coastal Region in South Africa?
Stellenbosch
Capetown
Paarl District
Tulbagh
Darling
Franschhoek Valley District
Wellington
Swarland
Lutzville Valley
Where is Stellenbosch, and what types of wine are made there?
The Coastal Region of South Africa. Cabernet Sauvignon is the leading red. Also known for Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and Sauvignon Blanc.
What are the four wards of the Cape Town District?
Constantia
Durbanville
Philadelphia
Hout Bay
Where is the Swartland District, and what type of wine is made there?
In the Coastal Region of South Africa, an hour north of Cape Town. It is predominately Rhône varieties and Chenin Blanc.
What is the Franschhoek Valley District?
The Franschhoek Valley District is located in an area of South Africa that was an early French Hugeunot settlement. Chardonnay, Semillon, Syrah, and Bordeaux varieties are grown here.
What is the Constantia Ward?
A ward in the Coastal Region of South Africa. It is known for its sweet, Muscat based Vin de Constance. Also produces some dry white and red table wines.
Who was Duggie Jooste?
A winemaker determined to revive Constantia wine.
What is Vin de Constance?
Vin de Constance is a Muscat based sweet white wine made in Constantia, South Africa.
Who was one of the most famous fans of Constantia?
Napoleon.
Where did French Huguenots set up vineyards?
Franschhoek (French quarter in Dutch), Stellenbosch and Paarl.
Who was Simon van der Stel?
A governor of Cape Town who planted 100,000 vines in Constantia in the late 1600s.
Where did Swartland get its name?
It is Dutch for “black land”, referring to a local plant (the rhinoceros bush) that turns black after rain.
Where is the Darling district and what wines do they produce?
The Darling District is in the Coastal Region of South Africa, southwest of Swartland. They produce Sauvignon Blanc, and have a number of old vines.
What is Durbanville?
A ward in the Cape Town district of the Coastal Region of South Africa. Cooled by sea breezes, produces Sauvignon Blanc.
Describe Paarl.
Paarl is in the coastal region of South Africa, north of Stellenbosch. It is slightly warmer with less cooling influences.
What are the most important districts of the Breed River Valley region?
Roberston
Worcester
Describe Worcester.
Worcester is located in the Breede River Valley region of South Africa. It is hot and humid, irrigation is necessary. They produce Chenin Blanc and Columbard (much of which is used for brandy) as well as table grapes.
What district grows over 25% of the wine grapes of South Africa (as well as fruit for table grapes & brandy)?
Worcester District
What area in South Africa is known as the “Valley of Vines and Roses”?
The Robertson District.
Describe Robertson.
Robertson is located in the Breede River Valley region of South Africa. It is hot and humid, but cooler than Worcester. High volume brands are mainly produced here, including Syrah and Chardonnay.
Where is the Breede River Valley and what wines are produced there?
The Breede River Valley is in South Africa. Fortified and desert wines are produced in the area, as well as Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
What are the 6 districts in the Cape South Coast Region?
Elgin
Walker Bay
Cape Agulhas
Overberg
Plettenberg Bay
Swellendam
What is Elim?
A ward in the Cape South Coast Region. Produces a pungent, herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc.
What grapes thrive in the Cape South Coast?
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Describe the Elgin District.
It is located in the Cape South Coast region, southeast of Stellenbosch. It has cooler temperatures due to elevation.
What type of wine is made in the Walker Bay district, and where is it located?
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
It is in the southernmost part of South Africa, subject to winds off the Indian Ocean. One of the coolest winegrowing regions of South Africa.
What grapes are used to produce late-harvest and botrytis-affected dessert wines in South Africa?
Chenin Blanc (Steen) and Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains (Muscat de Frontignan)
What is the leading red grape of South Africa?
Cabernet Sauvignon, followed closely by Shiraz (Syrah)
What is pinotage?
A cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault developed a century ago at Stellenbosch University.
What is a Cape Blend?
Cape Blends are from South Africa. Unofficially, 30-70% of the blend is Pinotage, the rest consisting of traditional Bordeaux red varieties.
What percent of South African vineyards are located outside of the Western Cape?
5%
What is South Africa’s appellation system, and what are the categories?
Wine of Origin - (largest to smallest)
Geographical Units
Regions
Districts
Wards
For South African WO wines, what percentage of wine must come from the specific place on the label?
100%
What is Jerepigo?
An unfermented dessert wine from South Africa. Produced by adding alcohol to grape juice.
Who was Jan van Riebeeck?
A colonial administrator of the Dutch Cape Colony on South Africa’s western cape. In the mid 1650s, planted some of the first grapes from European cuttings.
What is the KWV?
Koöperativeve Wijnbouwers Vereniging van Zuid Africa. A massive wine cooperative in South Africa.
When was the KWV formed?
1918
What percentage of grapes grown in South Africa is Steen (Chenin Blanc)?
About 18%
What type of wine has been most exported from South Africa since the end of apartheid in 1991 until fairly recently?
Cheap, bulk wine.
In 2018, what percentage of South Africa’s national wine production was exported as bulk wine to Europe?
50%.
When and why was the sale and export of South African wine banned by the African National Congress?
Several months in 2020 and 2021 supposedly due to covid, but the government has been long in favor of prohibition.
What was the tot system in South Africa?
The payment to workers in alcohol prior to 1962 when it was declared illegal, although it continued for years after that.
What is the Benguela Current?
An icy current that cools the coastal areas of South Africa.
What is the climate of the Cape South Coast?
Mediterranean with cool breezes off the Atlantic and Indian oceans.
Historically, what were most of the grapes grown in South Africa used for?
Cheap South African “sherry”. As recently as 1993, 80% of grapes were destined for distillation.
In 2019, what percentage of grapes grown in South Africa went to brandy production?
4%.
What percentage of grapes grown in South Africa are white?
55%.
How many grape varieties are grown in South Africa?
More than 90
What are the 7 most grown grapes in South Africa?
Chenin Blanc
Colombard (for cheap brandy mainly)
Cabernet Sauvignon
Sauvignon Blanc
Shiraz/Syrah
Chardonnay
Pinotage
What is fynbos?
A characteristic found in some red wines from South Africa, that comes from the shrub and heather-like vegetation found only in the Cape.
When was Pinotage developed?
1925.
What term is used for South African sparkling wines made by the traditional method?
Méthode Cap Classique.
What does Pinotage stand for?
It is meant to be a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut, which was called Hermitage at the time.
How long must Cap Classique wines be aged on the lees?
At least 1 year.
What is the name of the sweet (demi-sec) version of Cap Classique from South Africa?
Nectar.
What is the Cape Doctor?
A strong southeasterly wind that helps dry out vineyards and minimized the risk of disease.
Where are most of the vineyards that are not in the Western Cape of South Africa?
The Orange River Valley in the Northern Cape.
What is a Cape Blend?
A South African blend unofficially defined as containing between 30-70% Pinotage with the remaining part being traditional red Bordeaux varieties.
In South Africa, if a vintage or grape is stated, what percentage of wine must be from that year of variety?
85%.
