South Africa Flashcards
What producer started Method Cap Classique and in what year was it legally regulated?
Simonsig Sparkling
1992
What Antarctic current cools and slows the growing season in South Africa?
Benguela
Graham Beck, Le Lude, and Charles Fox are top produces of what wine style?
Method Cap Classique
What are the 3 districts of Breede River Valley?
- Breedekloof
- Robertson
- Worcester
What is the max size for single vineyard labelling in South Africa?
6 ha
List a key producer in the Robertson District
- Graham Beck
- Springfield Estates
- De Westhof
What was the first Cape Bordeaux blend and when was it debuted?
Hofmeyer, 1979
What is koffieklip?
“coffee stone” ferricrete soil
What effect does the Cape Doctor wind have in spring/summer?
- staves off disease pressure and pests
- can interfere with fruit set
- can break canes
How many wards are in Franschoek Valley?
none
What is the hottest and driest district of Breede River Valley?
Worcester
What grapes dominate Overberg district?
- sauv blanc
- chardonnay
25% of all South African chardonnay is planted in what district?
Robertson (Breede River)
What is the key natural feature of Breedekloof district?
Du Toitskloof Mountains
What are the 9 districts of the Coastal Region?
- Cape Town
- Darling
- Franschoek
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- Swartland
- Tullbagh
- Wellington
- Lutzville
What 2 wards in Walker Bay district have the most potential for high quality wine?
- Bot River Ward
- Hemel en Aarde (actually 3 different wards)
What ward is home to the largest amount of grenache in South Africa?
Piekeniersloof
What is the most planted grape in Klein Karoo?
colombard
What is the most planted grape in Stellenbosch district?
cab sauv
What 2 Coastal Region districts are hot, dry, inland and known for bulk production?
- Tullbagh
- Wellington
Adi Badenhorst and Eben Sadie are known for what quality minded growers coalition?
Swartland Independent Producers
What are the primary soil types in South Africa?
- decomposed granite and sandstone
- slate, quartz, and shale pockets
What is the KWV and when was it established?
South African Winegrowers Co-op (est 1923)
What are 2 two key producers in Cape Agulhas district?
- Strandveld
- Black Oystercatcher
- The Berrio
- Quoin Rack
- Zoetendal
What is the only ward in Cape Agulhas district?
Elim
In what district is the producer Hamilton Russell found?
Walker Bay
What district is considered the heart of the South African wine industry?
Stellenbosch
What 3 mountainous areas in Paarl district are known for quality?
- Simonsberg
- Paardeberg
- Paarl Rock
What mountain range forms the border between Stellenbosch and Paarl?
Simonsberg Mountains
Where is the Skurfberg vineyard located?
Citrusdal Mountains
What is the most planted grape in the Cape Town district?
sauv blanc
List 3 key Constantia producers in the Cape Town district
- Groot Constantia
- Klein Constantia
- Constantia Uitsig
- Steenberg
- Buiteneverwachting
Name a key non- Constantia producer in the Cape Town district
- Altydgedacht
- Durbanville Hills
- Diemersdal
What are the 2 most popular grapes in the Darling district?
- sauv blanc
- cinsault
List 3 key producers in Stellenbosch district
- Annondayle
- Beyerskloof
- Capensis
- Delaire Groff
- Demorgenzen
- Ernie Els
- Neil Ellis
- Raats
- Ken Forrester
- Mulderbosch
- Rustenberg
- Rust en Vrede
- Tokara
- Warwick Estate
- Vergelen
- Kanonkop
- Meerlust
- Rainbows End
- Thelema
- Waterford
What are the main viticultural benefits of pinotage?
- thick skin
- drought resistant
- high yielding
What style of wine is Breedekloof know for?
large scale operations and distillers
What is the most planted grape in Robertson district?
colombard
The Old Vine Project label applies to vines older than how many years?
35 years
Greengrape is a South African name for what grape?
semillon
What Klein Karoo district provided the best known source of Cape Vintage, Cape Ruby, and Cape Tawny?
Calzidorp district
What is the climate of Walker Bay district?
cool, maritime
What direction does the Cape Doctor blow?
southeast
What Dutch commander requested the first vinifera cuttings to be brought to South Africa?
Jon van Riebeck
What is the common name for Muscat of Alexandria in South Africa?
hanepoot
What is the descending order of region by size in South Africa?
- Geographical units
- Regions
- Districts
- Wards
What are the 6 geographical units of South Africa?
- Western Cape
- Northern Cape
- Eastern Cape
- Limpopo
- Free State
- Kwa Zulu Natal
What is the most well known and developed district in Cape South Coast region?
Walker Bay
What is the coolest district in Breede River Valley?
Robertson
What is the parentage of pinotage and when was it created?
pinot noir X cinsault (1924)
What grape is Cape Agulhas known for?
grassy sauv blanc
What are the 5 regions of Western Cape?
- Breede River Valley
- Cape South Coast
- Coastal Region
- Klein Karoo
- Olifants River
What is the hallmark style of wine in the Elgin district?
crisp chardonnay
In what district are the Paardeberg Mounatins?
Swartland
What type of varieties dominate Swellendam district?
Rhone varieties
Who is the key producer in Worcester district?
KWV Brandy Cellars
What are the 7 districts of Cape South Coast region?
- Cape Agulhas
- Elgin
- Overberg
- Swellendam
- Walker Bay
- Lower Duivenhoks River
- Plettenberg Bay
What is the only ward in the Darling district?
Groenkloof
Name a key producer in Paarl district
- Nederburg
- Vilafonte
- Backsburg
What is the famous grape in Franschoek district?
Old vine semillon
What are the 3 wards of Paarl district?
- Agter Paarl
- Simonsberg Paarl
- Voar Paardeberg
When was South Africa’s Wine of Origin designation established?
1973
What are the dominant red grapes in the Simonsberg-Stellenbosch ward?
- cab sauv
- merlot
- shiraz
- pinotage
What is the most planted grape in the Paarl district?
chenin blanc
What is the grape of Constantia wine?
Muscat-de-Frontignan
Who are the 2 key producers in Overberg district?
- Lismore Estate
- Raka Wines
What Western Cape region has the highest production?
Breede River Valley
Olifantsberg is a key producer in which district?
Breedlekloof
What are the 2 wards of Breedekloof?
- Goudini
- Slanghoek
What is the most planted variety in Breedekloof?
chenin blanc
What is the soil type of the Malagas ward?
- Bokkeveld Shale (fossilized marine shale)
- sandstone
- little topsoil
Jankershoek Valley and Devon Valley are located in which district?
Stellenbosch
Which grape dominates the Polkadraai Hills ward?
sauv blanc
Who is the most famous producer in Simonsberg-Stellenbosch ward?
Kanonkop
What region is the historic heartland of South Africa’s wine industry?
Coastal Region
What is the Dutch word for mountain?
berg
In which geographical unit does the majority of viticulture happen in South Africa?
Western Cape
What is the climate of Overberg district?
cold, wet, and windy
What is the average vineyard elevation in South Africa?
50-600 m
What is the most planted grape in Constantia ward?
sauv blanc
What is the climate of Elgin?
- rainy, high humidity
- mildew and frost risk
- regular cloud cover extends ripening
What are the soil types in Swartland district?
- South is sandy decomposed granite
- east is slate, shale,. schist
- north is chalk bands
- west is red rich clay loam and quartz
What is the soil type of Walker Bay district?
shale, granite, sandstone
List a key producer in Elgin
- Iona Vineyards
- Paul Cluver
- Oak Valley
- Kershaw
Where is Elgin located?
Cape South Coast region, Western Cape
Vin de Constance is produced in what district?
Cape Town
What is the average elevation in Elgin district?
300-500 m
What percentage of South Africa’s production is exported as bulk?
50%
Where in the Breede River Valley does the majority of viticulture take place?
flat, fertile valley floors
When did the first European settlers arrive in South Africa?
1652
What are the most successful grapes in Walker Bay district?
- chardonnay
- pinot noir
What is the most coveted vineyard in Franschoek Valley?
La Colline
List a key producer in Walker Bay
- Hamilton Russel
- Bouchard Finlayson
- Gabrielskloof
- Beaumont
Who is the sole producer in Lower Duivenhocks River district?
Baleia Wines
What grapes dominate Bottelang ward?
- Bordeaux varieties
- pinotage
- syrah
What South African region is known for desert-like climate and bulk ‘port style’ wines?
Klein Karoo
Where is Lutzville Valley located?
Coastal Region
What is the climate of Swartland district?
hot and dry
What is the climate of Breede River Valley region?
- hot and dry
- steady wind keeps mildew away
- mountains block ocean influence
- lack of rain necessitates irrigation
What percentage is required to label a wine by place of origin in South Africa?
100%
Olifants River region is most well known for what style of wine?
bulk
What are 2 key geographic features of the Cape Town district?
- Table Mountains
- Tygerberg
- Kanonkop Hills
- False Bay
- Atlantic Ocean
- Cape Doctor Wind
The majority of South Africa’s high quality wine comes from which region?
Coastal Region
What is the climate and soil type of Simonsberg-Stellenbosch ward?
- warm Mediterranean
- clay soil
Who is the key producer in Plettenberg Bay district?
Bramon
Where does Paarl district get water for irrigation?
Berg River
What is the largest co-op in South Africa?
Orange River Wine Cellars
What is the soil type in Franschoek district?
- granite mountains
- shale, sandstone
What is the climate of Cape Town district?
- cold
- heavy rain
- atlantic influence
What is the Banghoek ward known for?
- higher elevation
- cool microclimate
- granite, sandstone, clay
- cab sauv and chardonnay
What are the primary red grapes in Swartland?
- shiraz
- cab sauv
- merlot
- pinotage
What is the climate classification of South Africa?
Mediterranean
What percentage is required to label a wine by vintage in South Africa?
85%
What was the most popular style of wine in South Africa in the 1700s?
sweet and fortified
Where did the French settle in South Africa?
Franschoek (French Quarter)
What are the Dutch terms for big and small?
big - groot
small - klein
What is the most widely planted white grape in South Africa?
chenin blanc
What is the primary soil type in Elgin?
decomposed sandstone and shale
What are South Africa’s 3 climatic zones formed by coastal mountain ranges?
- cool and rainy near coast
- hot, dry interior
- temperate valleys in between
What are the legal sugar levels for Cap Classique:
Brut Nature
Extra Brut
Brut
Brut nature < 3 g/L
Extra brut < 6 g/L
Brut < 15 g/L
How long must Cap Classique wines rest on lees?
12 months
Cap Classique can be made from which varieties?
any variety from any region
What is the most planted grape in Elgin?
sauv blanc
What is the common name for chenin blanc in South Africa?
steen
Describe the legal requirements for blends in South Africa?
- composition list not required
- if listed, varieties must be in descending order
- can be listed by main varietals if 2 or more make up 85%
Ormande and Tukulu are key producers in what district?
Darling
What percentage is required to label a wine varietally in South Africa?
85%
What are the dominant white grapes in Simonsberg-Stellenbosch?
- sauv blanc
- chardonnay
What are the primary white grapes in Swartland?
- chenin blanc
- sauv blanc
- chardonnay
- semillon
What are the primary soil types in Paarl district?
- granitic with clay at low elevation
- sandstone and shale at higher elevation
What are the predominant soil types in the Cape Town district?
- granite
- sandstone
- greywacke
- phyllite shale
What virus is rampant in Stellenbosch district?
leafroll
What is the most important ward in Cape Town district?
Constantia
Who was the first owner of the Constantia Estate?
Governor Simon Van der Stel
When was the Constantia Estate founded?
Founded near Cape Town in 1685
What happened to Groot Constantia in 1885?
The Estate was purchased by the state and phyloxera appeared on the property ravaging the famous vineyards
What is Vin de Constance and what is it made from?
A sweet dried grape wine made from Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains (also known in South Africa as Muscat de Frontignan or Muscadel) and its red-berried variant
What is IPW in South Africa?
Integrated Production of Wine Scheme. A voluntary means of certification for WO producers wishing to comply with sustainable environmental standards. The IPW sets guidelines for agricultural, manufacturing, and packaging practices
Who developed Pinotage?
Professor Abraham Perold
What is Pontac?
a teinturier grape linked to the old red wines of Constantia, possibly from the pontac family’s original Haut-Brion vineyards.
Define the term ‘Jerepigo,’ what other term is used in place for?
Jerepigo: the addition of an alcohol (grain or otherwise) to un-fermented ripe grape juice.
Used occasionally in place of term ‘Vin de Liqueur’
Name the Districts of the Coastal Region (8)
- Stellenbosch
- Cape Town
- Paarl
- Tulbagh
- Darling
- Franschhoek Valley
- Wellington
- Swartland
When was the Cape Town District introduced?
2017
What are the Wards of the Cape Town District?
- Constantia
- Hout Bay
- Durbanville
- Philaldephia
What is the Climate of Stelllenbosch?
Maritime
Name the Wards of Stellenbosch (7)
- Devon Valley
- Jonkershoek Valley
- Papegaaiberg
- Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
- Bottelary
- Banghoek
- Polkadraai Hills.
Who produces Trilogy?
Warwick Estate
Who produces Rubicon?
Meerlust
What is the name of Paarl’s largest producer?
Nederburg with over 40 bottlings in it’s range they were the fist house to produce a botrytised South African dessert wine
Franschhoek Valley was part of which district until it became one itself in 2010?
Paarl
Name the wards of Darling
Groenekloof
Muscat de Frontignan is also know as?
Muscat Blanc a petit grains
What is the northern most area of production within South Africa?
Northern Cape: Orange River: Bulk wine production: hot climate
What does mean Hemmel-En-Aarde?
Heaven and Earth in local dialect
What are the Mountains ranges around Stellenbosch?
- Simonsberg
- Stellenbosch
- Helderberg
What is the synonym of Crouchen Blanc in South Africa?
Cape Riesling
Explain quickly the “Swartland Independent producer Scheme”
- label for Swartland producer
- naturally managed / low intervention
- light oak influences (25% max new, European only)
- label and quality integrity
What was the 1924 Wine and Spirits Control Act?
Law established via the KWV in South Africa. – it pulled the wine industry back from disaster, but favored the larger producer = pushed up a lower quality wines
Where is the majority of all chardonnay produced in SA grown?
Robertson
When did the KWV abolish the quota system and what did that do?
1992 - allowed for small producers to operate and removed some powers from the large scale co-ops - it limited expansion of vineyards to only places approved by the KWV
What is SAWIT and when was it created?
1999 South African Wine Industry Trust
- transforms practices and empower black workers
What body of water influences Cape Town?
False Bay
What new WO was formed in 2020 and what is its purpose?
Cape West Coast - to identify areas more “coastal” in character
Who produced the first botrytized dessert wine?
Neyderberg
In what year were wards introduced to South Africa’s Wo scheme?
1994
Which winery did Eben Sadie work for prior to his own label?
Spice Route (Swartland)
What are the quality controls for SIP?
- grown, produced, and bottled in Swartland
- producers must bottle min 80% under own label
- wild fermentation
- no acidification or added tannin
- no chemical fining or concentration processes
- min 90% approved varieties
- max 25% new oak (european)
- bottled in Burgundy shaped bottle
List 3 red grapes that are the allowed under SIP?
- grenache
- syrah
- mourvedre
- carignan
- cinsault
- tinta barocca
- pinotage
List 3 white grapes that are the allowed under SIP?
- chenin blanc
- grenache blanc
- marsanne
- roussanne
- viognier
- clairette blanche
- palomino
- semillon
- muscat (alexandria/frontignan)
- colombard
- verdelho
What district is the center for botrytized wine in South Africa?
Paarl
What is a South African alias for cinsault?
ermitage
What is the wettest district of Cape Town?
Constantia
Why is gobelet training common in Swartland?
To limit water competition (very hot, dry area)
What is the makeup of the wine Veregelen V?
Bordeaux blend (cab sauv/franc/merlot)
What is the varietal makeup of Eben Sadie ‘Palladius?’
Chenin blanc dominant white blend
What is the orientation of the Hemel-en-Arde Valley?
southwest
What is the highest scoring wine in the history of South Africa?
Eben Sadie ‘Columella’
What is the varietal makeup of Eben Sadie ‘Columella?’
- gsm, carignan, cinsault, tinta barocca
What is the only ward in South Africa that does not belong to a Geographical Unit?
Lanseria
What is the only ward in Free State (doesn’t have district)?
Rietrivier
What are the only 2 districts of Kwa-Zulu Natal (no regions)?
- Central Drakensberg
- Lions River
Where is the district of Douglas (it doesn’t have a region)?
Northern Cape
What is the only region in Northern Cape?
Karoo-Hoogland
What are the two districts of Karoo-Hoogland?
- Southerland Karoo
- Central Orange River
What are the two districts in Western Cape without a region?
- Ceres Plateau
- Prince Albert
What are the 3 wards of the Western Cape that do not have a district?
- Cederberg
- Liepoldtville- Sandveld
- Nieuwoudtville
Where is Plettenberg Bay located?
Cape South Coast region
What are the 3 wards of Swellendam?
- Malagas
- Buffeljags
- Stormsvlei
What are the 3 distinct wards of Hemel - en- Aarde?
- Hemel en Aarde Ridge
- Hemel en Aarde Valley
- Upper Hemel en Aarde VAlley
The Cape West Coast subregion included what districts and wards?
- Darling (district)
- Lutzville (district)
- St Helena Bay (ward)
- Lamberts Bay (ward)
- Bamboes Bay (ward)
Where would you find the wards of Malmesbury, Paardeburg, and Riebeekberg?
Swartland
Who is the leading producer in Tulbagh?
Fable Mountain
What are the 2 districts of Klein Karoo?
- Calizdorp
- Langberg Garcia
In what region is the ward of Montagu found?
Klein Karoo
In what district is the ward of Piekeneerskloof?
Citrusdal Mountains
To be labeled as Swartland Independent Producers, what is the max percentage of new oak allowed?
25%