Why South African…..
At the southern tip of Africa, where two mighty oceans meet lies the fairest Cape in the world. Known as the Mother City and the Sister city to San Francisco, Cape Town is the gateway to the South African wine lands and one of the great wine capitals of the world. Here the cultures of Africa, Europe and the East have met and mingled for over 350 years, shaping a city both ancient and modern, rich in colorful history and culturally diverse.

Today South Africa is a peaceful democracy, a vibrant and exciting country of enormous diversity. This variety is reflected in our wines. With a winemaking history dating back more than 340 years, the industry reflects the classicism of the Old World but is also influenced by the contemporary fruit-driven styles of the New World. This rare combination makes for wines which are complex yet accessible, refined yet powerful, eloquently expressing the unique terroir and people of the Cape.

In the last few years, a dynamic new vision has given momentum to changes within an industry which is innovation driven, market directed, globally competitive and highly profitable. This new ethos has seen the local wine industry emerge as a global enterprise with strong cultural roots and a sense of social responsibility. It has truly come of age. With the advent of democracy, the opening of new markets and exposure to international trends, South Africa can now compete with confidence on the world wine stage. A passionate new generation of winemakers, many with experience of harvests around the globe, are keen to learn, experiment and improve. There's also been a focused shift from grape farming to wine growing.

With new wineries opening up at a steady rate and South African wines attracting increasing acclaim internationally, Su Birch, CEO of Wines Of South Africa, says: "A growing visibility in key markets abroad, the recognition by foreign trade and consumers of South African wines offers value across price ranges, and the rise in South African wine tourism to the number one International wine tourism destination in the world, have all contributed to aggressive growth. Positive international media coverage has played a key role. South Africa has the advantage of being able to supply foreign markets with regionally diverse wine styles which highlight the Cape's biodiversity."

The Cape wine-growing areas, situated in the narrow viticultural zone of the southern hemisphere, with a largely Mediterranean climate, the mountain slopes and valleys form the ideal habitat for the wine grape Vitis vinifera. Long, sun-drenched summers ensure grapes with enough sugar to provide excellent wines year after year. Wet winters with cool sea breezes and temperatures of 0-10°C also contribute to the ideal conditions for viticulture at the Cape.

The South African wine industry is backed by a state research body, the Nietvoorbij Institute for Viticulture and Oenology, employing some 250 staff; the departments of viniculture and viticulture at the University of Stellenbosch; and the Elsenburg Agricultural College, which offers cellar technology. All wines for export are subjected to rigorous testing to be granted a government enforced export license. Samples of each batch of wine destined for foreign markets are sent to the Wine & Spirit Board at Nietvoorbij, Stellenbosch where they undergo detailed tasting tests and chemical analysis in the laboratories before licenses are granted. An official seal is given to each bottle by the Wine & Spirit Board, which verifies that the claims made on the label regarding 0rigin, vintage and grape variety are true for the about 834 million liters of wine which are produced annually.
In South Africa, viticulture mainly takes place at a latitude of 34° south in an area with a mild Mediterranean climate. The Western Cape is cooler than its position might suggest, with conditions that are ideal for a wide range of noble vine varieties. The traditional winegrowing areas along the coastal zone are seldom more than 50 km from the ocean and experience beneficial breezes blowing in from the sea. The temperate climate features warm summers and cool winters with frost rarely a problem. Rain falls mainly between May and August.

With its ancient soils, South Africa is considered to be the cradle of mankind. The impressive Cape mountain ranges form a dramatic backdrop to one of the most beautiful wine producing areas of the world. The vineyards lie on the valley sides and floors, benefiting from the many different meso-climates offered by the mountainous terrain and diverse terroir. There's constant interaction between the rugged peaks and multi-directional valley slopes and the proximity of to two mighty oceans - in particular the Atlantic, chilled by the icy Benguela current which flows northwards up the west coast of Africa from the Antarctica - moderates the summer warmth. Cooling breezes blow in from the sea during the day, fog and moisture-laden breezes are prevalent at night. Adequate sunshine plays an important role too. This diversity of topography and meso-climatic conditions results in wines of character and complexity.

The Cape floral kingdom is the smallest but richest of the world's six floral kingdoms which creates a unique biodiversity. In the Cape wine lands, grapes grown in one single block can show variety. The grape quality has been positively affected by better matching of varieties to locations in recent years. Extensive research and practical experience have been combined to establish which micro-climates suit particular grape varieties in order to find the ideal conditions for the wide selection of varieties that South Africa has adopted from every corner of the wine-producing world.

In South Africa, as in much of the New World, wine producers are focused on identifying and selecting sites best suited to particular grape varieties. In addition, new clones and rootstocks are being developed which are particularly well adapted to the local soil and climatic conditions.

South African soils are highly varied, not only between different regions, but often also even within the same vineyard. In general, soils on the coastal plain vary from Table Mountain sandstone in the west to granite compounds on the mountain slopes further east. Sands and gravel on the valley floors give way to more stony granite soils higher up the mountain slopes.

An extensive International distribution network of Exporters, wholesalers and retailers, as well as co-operative cellars, estates and other organizations market their wines to ensure that these products reach consumers around the world. However, with the opening up of foreign markets to the South African wine industry, rapidly increasing quantities of South African wines are being sold abroad. South African wine exports in 2002 were 20% up on the previous year and projected figures in export volume look positive.

Look for great South African wines of character on the shelves of you local retailers.
“Watch your Character, for it becomes your Destiny"