South Africa Flashcards
Name of important ocean current and importance
Benguela Current, flows north from the Antarctica and cools down the region
Who planted the first vineyard in SA?
Jan Van Riebeeck, of the Dutch East India Company. He founded Cape town and planted the first vineyard in 1652
What influenced the increase in quality in 1680-1690?
French Huguenots escaping France arrived to SA and brought winemaking knowledge to the region
What was “governor’s wine”?
Name given to Vin de Constance
What 3 estates was Constantia divided into?
Groot Constantia, Klein Constantia, and Buitenverwachting (Beyond Expectations)
Threats that affected winemaking during later half of 19th century
Powdery Mildew
Phylloxera
Root louse
What is the KWV?
Ko-operatieve Wijnbouwers Vereniging van Zuid-Afrika.
It was created to fix minimum price, determine areas of production, and establish production limits
When did the KWV formed?
1918, then formalised in 1924 by the Wine and Spirits Control Act
Explain the 1925-1980 period of the wine industry in SA
There was surplus caused by the KWV, since they were promoting larger producers even with lower quality.
Drinking habits shifted from fortified wines to table wines.
The Apartheid reduced the international interest in SA’s wines.
Explain the events of 1990 that supported the wine industry
1994: End of Apartheid
1997: KWV became a private company
What is the SAWIT?
South African Wine Industry Trust, founded in 1999
What is the name of the appellation system in SA?
WO, Wine of Origin
What is the SAWIS?
South African Wine Industry Information and Systems
It offers quality certifications to winemakers
Current SA’s production
900 million litres per year
400 million litres exported per year
Current SA’s position in wine producing ranking
9th in the world
When was the WO system introduced?
1973
Basic production regulations
Varietal> 85%
Vintage> 85%
Area> 100%
May blend wines list their varietals in SA?
Yes, if the vinification was done separately and each grape comprises at least 20% of the wine
How does the WO system evaluates wines?
Tasting for varietal’s profile
Chemical test
Order of production areas
Geographical Unit
Region
District
Ward
May a vineyard be listed on the label?
Yes, if 100% of the grapes come from that vineyard and it is of less than 6 hectares
Is the certification process mandatory?
No, but neither vintage, area nor varietal may be labelled if not certified
What is the IPW?
Integrated Production of Wine Scheme
A voluntary means of certification for WO producers who decide to comply with sustainable practices
What guidelines does the IPW set?
Agricultural, manufacturing, and packaging practices
(worker safety measures, handling of wastewater, carbon emissions, use of pesticides and other chemicals, and vineyard biodiversity)
GIs of SA
Western Cape Northern Cape Eastern Cape Kwazulu-Natal Limpopo Free Estate
Districts within Northern Cape
Douglas District
Sutherland-Karoo District
Wards within Northern Cape
Hartswater
Central Orange River
Prieska
Wards within Eastern Cape
St. Francis Bay
Districts within Kwazulu-Natal
Central Drakensberg
Lions River District
Wards within Limpopo
None
Wards within Free Estate
Rietrivier FS
Western Cape’s climate
Mediterranean
What is the Cape Doctor?
A strong south-easterly wind that blows across the Western Cape throughout the spring and summer, inhibiting fungal disease and moderating temperature—but also ferociously battering the vines
Where is the coolest climate in SA located?
Western Cape’s southernmost district, Cape Agulhas
Where are the hottest areas located?
In the Northern Cape region, alongside the Orange River. Mainly bulk wines
Local name for Chenin Blanc
Steen
MPGV White
Chenin Blanc / Steen > 18% of vineyards
Important white varieties
Chardonnay SB Muscat of Alexandria (Hanepoot) Colombard Muscadel (Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains) Viognier Semillon
Local name for Muscat of Alexandria
Hanepoot
Who developed Pinotage?
Professor Abraham Perold, 1924
MPGV Red
Cab Sauv
Important red varieties
Pinotage Merlot Cab Franc Cinsault Pinot Noir Shiraz Pontac
Describe Pontac
Red “teinturier” grape linked to the wines of Constantia
Name given to local traditional method sparkling wines of SA
MCC > Methode Cap Classique
GV used for MCC production
Pinot Noir
Chardonnay
Types of fortified wines produced in SA
Cape Port (changed name to Cape Tawny/Ruby in 2012) Sherry
Districts within Coastal Region
Stellenbosch Cape Town Paarl Tulbagh Darling Franschhoek Valley (previously a ward within Paarl) Lutzville Valley Wellington (previously a ward within Paarl) Swartland
Wards within Cape Town
Constantia
Hout Bay
Durbanville
Philadelphia
Why is Constantia an ideal place for sweet wines?
Cool sea breezes blow northward from False Bay, promoting a lengthy growing season
Nickname for Stellenbosch
Town of Oaks
Soil type in Stellenbosch
Alluvial loam over shale on the valley floors to decomposed granite and sandstone on the hillsides
MPGV in Stellenbosch
Cab Sauv
Sauv Blanc
Climate in Stellenbosch
Maritime influenced, similar to Bordeaux but warmer
Main producers of Stellenbosch
Warwick Estate Meerlust Kanonkop (Pinotage) Rust en Vrede Neil Ellis
Wards within Stellenbosch
Devon Valley Jonkershoek Valley Papegaaiberg Simonsberg-Stellenbosch Bottelary Banghoek Polkadraai Hills
Paarl’s largest producer
Nederburg
What was the first house to produce a sweet botrytised wine in SA?
Nederburg
Where is Tulbagh located?
North of Paarl
What type of wine is produced in Tulbagh? Why?
MCC
Its high altitude creates a significant diurnal T range,
What is Boberg?
A region that used to be authorised for the production of fortified wines until 2019
Districts within Breede River Valley region
Robertson
Worcester
Breedeklof
**Swellendam (belongs to Cape South Coast region since 2010)
What is the largest producing district in SA?
Worcester
What wines is Robertson known for?
MCC and reds (Shiraz)
Districts within Klein Karoo region
Langeberg-Garcia
Calitzdorp
What wines are produced in Klein Karoo region?
Fortified and sweet mainly
Main grapes of Klein Karoo
Muscat
Tinta Barroca
Districts within Olifants River region
Citrusdal Mountain
Citrusdal Valley
Where is Olifants River region located?
North of Swartland
What’s the name of SA’s largest co-op winery? Where is it located?
Vredendal, based in Olifants River region
Main GV of Olifants River
Colombard
Chenin Blanc
Where are SA’s highest elevation vineyards located?
Cederberg, located east of Olifants River (unofficail ward)
Districts within Cape South Coast Region
Overberg Elgin Lower Duivenhoks River Walker Bay Cape Agulhas Plettenberg Bay Swellendam
Wards within Overberg
Klein River Theewater Elandskloof Greyton **Elgin used to be a ward but it received district status in 2012
Main GVs of Overberg/Elgin
SB
Pinot Noir
Riesling (named Weissner Riesling to differentiate it from Cape Riesling)
Climate of Overberg/Elgin
Cool maritime
Describe Lower Duivenhoks River
One of SA’s smallest districts, located outside Elgin at the base of Klein River Mountains, known for Chardonnay, PN, SB and Syrah production
What district is known as a destination for whale-watching?
Walker Bay
Main GVs in Walker Bay
PN
Chard
Pinotage
Name the producer who pioneered Burgundy grapes in Walker Bay
Hamilton Russell Winery
Wards within Walker Bay
7 in total, main ones are:
Bot River
Hemel-en-Aarde
Ward within Cape Agulhas
Elim
Main GV in Cape Agulhas
SB
Semillon
Shiraz
