South Africa Flashcards
The history of the vine in South Africa can be traced to-
1655, when Jan van Riebeeck of the Dutch East India Company founded Cape Town and est its 1st vineyard
Which estate eclipsed the modest winemaking tradition of predecessors in late 1600’s?
Governor Simon van der Stel’s Constantia estate, the sweet Vin de Constance became the 1st New World wine to be coveted throughout the courts of Europe
Where was Constantia estate founded?
near Cape Town in 1685, is now a ward of the Coastal Region
Upon Stel’s death in 1712, Constantia was-
divided into 2 estates
In 1778, Groot Constantia, one of the original estates, was sold to whom?
Hendrik Cloete, who renovated the property and brought international acclaim to the wines
Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains is known as what in South Africa?
Muscat de Frontignan or Muscadel
Base for white and red versions of Vin de Constance?
Muscat de Frontignan/Muscadel and its red-berried variant
What is Vin de Constance?
a dried grape wine sold in the early 1800s to dignitaries
What struck the industry in the 19th century?
powdery mildew and phylloxera
When did the state purchase Groot Constantia?
1885 and the root louse appeared on the property, ravaging the famous vineyards
At the turn of the 20th century, what was the state of south african wines?
golden era for Constantia ended, vineyards decimated by phylloxera and colonial war, entered a period of decline
In the face of plummeting prices and over-supply, what formed in 1918 with the support of 90% of South Africa’s growers?
the Ko-operatieve Wijnbouwers Vereniging van Zuid-Afrika (KWV)
The KWV, a cooperative of wine producers/growers, est. what?
fixed min prices, determined areas of production, est production limits—powers formalized in the 1924 Wine and Spirits Control Act
In 1999, the South African Wine Industry Trust (SAWIT) was established to-
speed transformation of South African wine and to empower black workers in an industry that had long relied on slave- and apartheid-era labor practices
In 2002, The South African Wine & Spirit Board began to offer what?
quality certification through SAWIS (South African Wine Information & Systems) in accordance with the Wine of Origin scheme, South Africa’s appellation system
What is cultivar?
local name for variety
The Wine of Origin (WO) system, introduced in 1973, compels producers seeking certification to what?
submit a sample of the wine for evaluation by a tasting panel, which confirms that the wine shows the correct organoleptic qualities for its cultivar and age
Appellation laws?
as of 2006 the wine must contain:
85% of stated grape, vintage
100% of stated area of production
Appellation laws for blends?
may list several grapes, if vinification occurred separately and each listed grape comprises a min 20% of wine
What are the 4 types of production areas?
In descending order of size: geographical unit region district ward
The term Single Vineyard Wine may be used for wines-
sourced solely from the vineyard, provided it is appropriately registered and of less than 6 ha
Estate wines must be produced from-
contiguous parcels of vineyard land, and vinified and bottled on a single property
A WO seal appears on all bottles of wine that-
pass certification
What may NOT appear on any bottle that forgoes certification?
vintage, varietal, or area of production
What launched in 1998?
the Integrated Production of Wine Scheme (IPW), a voluntary means of certification for WO producers wishing to comply with sustainable environmental standards
For IPW, wineries are judged on what?
a number of points, including worker safety measures, handling of wastewater, carbon emissions, use of pesticides and other chemicals, and vineyard biodiversity.
Starting with the 2010 vintage, wines that meet a minimum score in IPW evaluation (60% or better) and qualify for WO certification will be marked with-
a joint seal, indicating a “sustainable wine of origin,” rather than the basic WO seal
South Africa’s wine-producing areas are divided into what 5 large geographical areas?
- Western Cape
- Northern Cape
- Eastern Cape
- Kwazulu-Natal
- Limpopo
Northern Cape consists of only what 5 production areas?
- Douglas district
- Sutherland-Karoo district
- the independent Hartswater
- Central Orange River
- Rietrivier FS wards
What is Eastern Cape’s single ward?
St. Francis Bay
Kwazulu-Natal and Limpopo contain-
no other production areas
Most South African wine production occurs-
in the Western Cape, a small area in the southwestern corner of the country, and most WO areas are contained within it
What are South Africa’s 6 regions?
- Coastal Region
- Cape South Coast
- Breede River Valley
- Klein Karoo
- Olifants River
- Boberg
What is the Western Cape’s climate?
At a latitude of 27°-34° is essentially Mediterranean, with warm, sunny growing seasons
What flows north from Antarctica to cool the coastal areas of the Western Cape?
The Benguela Current
What is The Cape Doctor?
a notoriously strong southeasterly wind, blows across the Western Cape throughout the spring and summer, inhibiting fungal disease and moderating temperature—but also ferociously battering the vines
What offers the coolest climate in the country?
The Cape’s southernmost district, Cape Agulhas
The Northern Cape production areas along the Orange River experience what climate?
hot, arid climate, generally only suitable for bulk wines
What is the most planted white grape, occupying around 20% of the nation’s vineyards?
Chenin Blanc (Steen)
Other important white grapes?
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Colombard, Cape Riesling (synonym for Crouchen Blanc, unrelated to Riesling), Hanepoot (Muscat of Alexandria), Gewürztraminer
Red grapes have surged in acreage since the mid-1990s—
over half of the country’s red vines are under 10 yrs old
What is Pinotage?
a Cinsault x Pinot Noir crossing developed by Professor Abraham Perold in 1925
Pinotage characteristics?
distinctively smoky, fruity, pungent and full-bodied red wine
Cinsault itself, one of the grapes responsible for much of the past surplus, has lost its status as South Africa’s most planted red varietal to-
Cabernet Sauvignon
What are among the other important commercial red cultivars?
Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Shiraz, Pinot Noir and Tinta Barroca
__, a teinturier grape linked to the old red wines of Constantia, enjoys a limited revival amongst dedicated producers
Pontac
Traditional method sparkling wines known as Cap Classique are increasingly produced from-
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Fortified styles of wine produced in South Africa?
Cape Port (Cape Tawny, Cape Ruby, etc) and Sherry—terms that were phased out in 2012
South Africa’s Coastal Region is located-
around the original colony of Cape Town and along the western coast of the Cape
South Africa’s Coastal Region is subdivided into what 9 districts?
- Stellenbosch
- Cape Peninsula
- Tygerberg
- Paarl
- Tulbagh
- Darling
- Franschhoek Valley
- Wellington
- Swartland
Another district (Cape Point) was repealed in early 2014 with the introduction of what?
Cape Peninsula, which contains the wards of Constantia and Hout Bay
5 estates now occupy the historic Constantia vineyard, including-
the state-owned Groot Constantia, Klein Constantia, and Buitenverwachting (“Beyond Expectations”)
Soil/aspect of Constantia vineyard?
eastern, decomposed granite slopes of Constantiaberg
Despite the fabled glory of Vin de Constance, several of the new proprietors are focusing on-
international grapes and dry wines
Klein (“little”) Constance revived-
the virtually extinct style with new Muscat de Frontignan plantings in the 1980s
Climate of Constantia?
Cool sea breezes blow northward from False Bay, avg Feb temp hover around 70° F, promoting a lengthy growing season ideal for dessert wines and cool-climate white grapes like SB
Across False Bay from the Cape Peninsula is-
Stellenbosch district, South Africa’s most prominent winemaking region
With viticultural roots dating back to the 17th century, the “__” has become the epicenter of viticultural and oenological research for the country, and it is a source of high quality red wines
Town of Oaks
The valleys surrounding Stellenbosch, cradled between the Simonsberg, Stellenbosch, and Helderberg peaks, harbor-
almost 1/5 of South Africa’s vines and contain some of the world’s most ancient soils
Ancient soils of valleys surrounding Stellenbosch?
ranging from alluvial loam over shale on the valley floors to decomposed granite and sandstone on the hillsides
What are Stellenbosch’s most planted varietals?
CS and SB followed by Merlot, Shiraz, and Chenin Blanc
Stellenbosch’s climate?
maritime-influenced, comparable to—but warmer than—Bordeaux
What does well in Stellenbosch?
blended reds based on CS
Name examples of highly praised blended reds from Stellenbosch
Warwick Estate’s “Trilogy” and Meerlust’s “Rubicon”
Name highly regarded producers of Stellenbosch
Kanonkop, Rust en Vrede, Neil Ellis
Kanokop is a champion of what?
Pinotage
Wards within Stellenbosch include:
Devon Valley Jonkershoek Valley Papegaaiberg Simonsberg-Stellenbosch Bottelary Banghoek Polkadraai Hills
North of Stellenbosch, the warmer inland Paarl (“pearl”) district is home to-
the KWV, a founding partner in SAWIT
With over 40 bottlings in its range, who is Paarl’s largest producer?
Nederburg and the first house to produce a botrytised dessert wine in South Africa
The renowned ___ , an auction of rare Cape wines, has taken place in Paarl since 1975
. In its first year, the New World’s oldest annual wine auction showcased Golden Liquid Nederburg Edelkeur.
What grapes dominate production in Paarl?
Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Pinotage, Chenin Blanc
Until 2010, Paarl included what among its wards?
Franschhoek Valley, the site claimed by French Huguenot settlers in the late 17th century, now achieved status as a separate district
In 2012, what ward also achieved status as a separate district from Paarl?
Wellington
__ is a smaller district located to the north of Paarl
Tulbagh
Tulbagh’s higher altitude creates what?
a significant diurnal temperature shift
What is increasing in Tulbagh?
Cap Classique production
What region exists only for fortified wines produced in Paarl, Franschhoek, Wellington and Tulbagh?
The Boberg Region, named for the nearby Berg River
The Breede River Valley comprises what 3 districts?
- Robertson
- Worcester
- Breedekloof
What 4th district of The Breede River Valley shifted to the new Cape South Coast region in late 2010?
Swellendam
__and__, the largest district in South Africa in terms of production, produce over 25% of the national volume of wine/spirits (generally brandy) and nearly 20% of the nation’s vine acreage is located in these 2 districts
Breedekloof, Worcester
Approximately 1/2 of South Africa’s Sémillon is located where?
in Worcester
What else grows in Worcester?
sizable plantings of Colombard, Chenin Blanc, and Ruby Cabernet
Robertson is a higher quality area with__ emerging as one of the district’s finest varietal wines
Shiraz
Klein Karoo is an arid inland region with what 2 districts?
- Langeberg-Garcia
2. Calitzdorp
Klein Karoo’s 5 wards are where?
NOT contained within it’s 2 districts- Langeberg-Garcia, Calitzdorp
What is the dominant focus of Klein Karoo?
Fortified and sweet wine production
What are the most promising grapes of Klein Karoo?
Muscat and Tinta Barroca
The Olifants River Region includes what 3 districts?
- Citrusdal Mountain
- Citrusdal Valley
- Lutzville Valley
Where is The Olifants River Region located?
to the north of Swartland
What grapes are used in The Olifants River Region?
Colombard and Chenin Blanc, chiefly for bulk wines
South Africa’s largest co-operative winery is based where?
Vredendal, located in The Olifants River Region
South Africa’s highest elevation vineyards are located-
in Cederberg, an unincorporated ward located to the east of the Olifants River Region
What was grouped into the new Cape South Coast Region in 2010?
5 districts and 2 stand-alone wards
What districts of the new Cape South Coast Region line the southwestern Atlantic Coast of South Africa?
3 of it’s districts—Overberg, Walker Bay, and Cape Agulhas
What 4th district of the new Cape South Coast Region lies over 250 miles to the east, along the southern coast of Africa?
Plettenberg Bay
What 5th district of the new Cape South Coast Region borders Overberg to the east, near the Breede River Valley?
Swellendam
Overberg, one of South Africa’s most promising new districts, is divided into what 4 wards?
- Klein River
- Theewater
- Elandskloof
- Greyton
What 5th ward of Overberg received district status in early 2012?
Elgin
What does well in Overberg?
Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and even Riesling
What was Riesling renamed in Overberg?
Weisser Riesling to distinguish the grape from Cape Riesling
Climate of Overberg?
cooler maritime climate
The Walker Bay district, surrounds the coastal town of-
Hermanus
What does well in Walker Bay?
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
What winery in Walker Bay was an early proponent of the Burgundy grapes as well as South Africa’s own Pinotage?
Hamilton Russell Winery
Walker Bay contains-
6 wards
What are Walker Bay’s top areas of production?
Bot River and Hemel-en-Aarde (“Heaven and Earth”) Valley
Where does Cape Agulhas sit?
on the southernmost point of the continent, with vineyards concentrated in the ward of Elim
Cape Agulhas climate?
cool climate
What does well in Cape Agulhas?
Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Shiraz
