South African Wines on the International Market

The abolishment of apartheid towards the end of the 20^th century, gave a boost to the South African wine industry. Since then it has moved forward and is one of the forerunners in wine production in the world. It is ranked 17^th in cultivation and is in the top ten list of wine producing countries.

The South African wine industry has come a long way since its birth in the mid 17^th century. New and improved methods of cultivation and modern irrigation techniques have raised the quality of production. Utilization of scientific methods of pest control and protective measures against fungal and mildew attacks has effectively increased the yield of grapes. Buy South African Wines Online in Australia.

Viticulture research, resulting in novel methods of cloning and combining various types of grapes, has also contributed to the positive trend in the industry and has helped it to etch out a position in the international wine market.

Vineyard cultivation and wine production in South Africa is concentrated in the Western Cape area. The soil and climate there is very conducive to wine producing activities. Various types of wine are produced in this cape region of the country.

There are a few varieties of the Port style wines like the Cape White port that is made from white wine grapes and are aged for at least six months in wood barrels. Then there is the Cape Ruby port which is a red wine that is aged for about a year. Cape Vintage port wines are aged from 2 to 6 years in oak barrels and are bottled only in glass bottles. Sherry-style wines which are fortified with brandy are also produced in South Africa. 

Sparkling wines in the mould of Champagne are very popular. These wines are marketed as Cap Classique to distinguish them from the original Champagne. But the most popular variety of South African wine is the red sparkling wines produced from a blend two grape varities of ethnics South African grapes.

Pinot Noir and Cinsaut or Hermitage as it is known in South Africa, are two varieties of grape that are difficult to cultivate. In the early part of the 20^th century a professor of viticulture (Perold)  developed a type of grape derived from combining these two varieties. This red wine grape is a hardy variety that can be grown quite easily. It produces a deep red wine with a smoky and earthy flavor with a hint of tropical fruits. This grape variety is called Pinotage. Pinotage is a versatile grape and can be made in various styles from the simple fruity, easy drinking Beyerskloof Pinotage to the more serious Kanonkop Pinotage.

At the beginning of the 1970s Chenin Blanc quickly became the best-selling wine of the era.

Chenin blanc is arguably the most versatile of all wine grape varieties. Crisp, dry table wines, light sparkling wines, long-lived, unctuous, nectar-like dessert wines, and even brandy are all produced in various areas of the wine world, all of chenin blanc.

 Although the native region for chenin is the Loire Valley (where the grape is often called Pineau de la Loire), there is less planted in all of France than in most wine-producing countries of the New World. It is planted as Pinot Blanco in Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Argentina, where there are over 10,000 acres of chenin blanc. Nearly a third of vines in South Africa are chenin blanc, where it is also called Steen. In California, it is the third most widely planted white wine grape. Australia has close to 1,500 acres and New Zealand 500.

Resistance to many diseases, vine vigor, and the tendency to early bud break and late ripening suits chenin blanc to grow in climates too warm for many vinifera types. The vine grows well in many soil types and can be very vigorous in either sandy loam or clay loam. Production is fairly consistent at from five to eight tons per acre. At three or four years old, the vines tend to overproduce and may set crops too large to fully ripen in the coolest areas. Chenin blanc grapes are susceptible to both bunch rot and sun burn.

In spite of its wide plantings and potential flavor palates, most chenin blanc is made into serviceable, but generally bland wine. A general tendency to over-irrigate and overcrop further reduce most Chenin Blanc to the forgettable. Careful viticultural practices easily overcome chenin blanc's weaknesses and can result in excellent wine.

The most frequently encountered (but not exclusive) smell and/or flavor elements found in Chenin Blanc-based wines include:

Floral (honeysuckle),Fruity (quince ,melon ,honeydew),Herbal (grass,hay),Wood (vanilla,sweet wood,oak) and Mineral (flint,smoke).

South African wines are amongst the best in the world and are quickly making inroads into many countries which are large wine producers themselves.

The production of South African wine is increasing steadily every year. The variety and quality available has made these wines popular and this has brought about a significant growth in the wine exports of the country.