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South Africa
Old-vine Chenin Blanc and a restless new generation of growers.
Wine history
Jan van Riebeeck pressed the Cape's first wine in 1659, and the sweet wine of Constantia was prized across eighteenth-century Europe. Isolation and the KWV quota system held quality back for much of the twentieth century; since 1994, the Swartland revolution has pushed the country toward old-vine, low-intervention winemaking.
Major Wine Regions
- Stellenbosch
- Swartland
- Walker Bay
- Constantia
- Elgin
Important Grape Varieties
- Chenin Blanc
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Syrah
- Pinotage
- Sauvignon Blanc
Major Wine Styles
- Textural old-vine Chenin
- Savoury Swartland Syrah
- Smoky Pinotage
- Cool Hemel-en-Aarde Pinot Noir
Food Pairings
- Braai grilled meats
- Bobotie
- Roast lamb
- Smoked snoek
- Aged gouda
Notable wines
- Vin de Constance
- Kanonkop Paul Sauer
- Sadie Family Columella
- Mullineux Syrah
Recognisable brands
- Kanonkop
- Boschendal
- Meerlust
- Klein Constantia
- Sadie Family