SOUTH AFRICA Flashcards
Most important cooling influences?
Come from Southern Ocean
Cold Benguela Current-Flows past the tip and up west coast of Africa, cooling coastal areas
What is the Cape Doctor?
Regular, strong, south easterly winds
These bring air cooled by the ocean further inland and can reduce temps by a further couple degrees in some areas
What has a marked influence on vineyard climate?
Altitude
Those on valley floors are generally warmer than those in the mountains
What do vines that are planted on southern slopes of mountains benefit from?
Cooler temperatures
Most widely planted black grape?
Cab Sauv
Varietal
Also blended with Merlot and Cab F for Bordeaux styles
Merlot characteristics?
Full bodied
Plummy
Syrah Characteristics?
Hot climate- Rich, full bodied, high in alcohol, ripe black fruit flavors, sometimes with earthy/meaty character
Cooler-Less full bodied, peppery
Where is Pinot Noir planted?
In small amounts in the coolest coastal areas
What is Pinotage?
Characteristics?
Cross btwn PN and Cinsault
Sometimes blended with international varieties to make a Cape Blend
On it’sown-Light fruit, red berry flavours
Old bush vines- Very full bodied, rich spiced berry fruit
Fermented/stored with heavily toasted oak staves- Intense chocolate, coffee aromas
Most planted grape overall?
Chenin Blanc
Basic-Easy drinking, stone fruit flavours
Old bush vines- Concentrated, complex, fuller texture
2nd most planted white?
Colombard
*Significant amount used in Brandy production
Sauv B characteristics?
Herbaceous character
Best come from coolest regions and can display pure flavors citrus and green fruit
Chardonnay characteristics?
Great in cooler sites
Barrel fermentation, lees stirring-Premium examples
What is Muscat of Alexandria aka?
What is it used for?
Hanepoot
Used to produce late harvest dessert wines when the grapes are left to shrivel on the vine
*Noble rot can also be an influence
Viognier characteristics?
Rich, perfumed, hint of toasty oak
What are high quality white blends?
Popular in Swartland
Chenin B blended with Rhone varieties ex” Marsanne, Roussanne, Grenache B, Viognier
90% of wine here comes from where?
Western Cape
Where is known for inexpensive whites that are rarely seen on export markets?
Orange River in Northern Cape
Some wineries located in certain districts or wards may source their fruit from where?
Wines can be labelled with what?
A wider area than the GI in which they are located
Wines may be labelled with a region EX: Coastal Region
Or a geographical unit EX: Western Cape
***Many premium wines made this way
Hub of fine wine production?
Stellenbosch district in Coastal Region
Climate in Stellenbosch
Moderate- warm depending on location
Sufficient rainfall in winter
Summers are rarely too hot thanks to cool winds from False Bay
What grape varieties is Stellenbosch known for?
Cab Sauv, Merlot (Often made into Bordeaux style blends)
Syrah
Cape red blends
Cooler sites- High quality Sauv B and Chard
Paarl District climate?
Less exposed to the cooling influences of the sea being further inland
Temps tend to be hotter in the summer
What does the mountainous terrain offer in Paarl?
A variety of altitudes, aspects, soils
