South Africa

Old “New World” Wine – South Africa

The Dark Continent is a bit of a mystery. State Stores have shelves of cheap bottles with various animals on the label, but while people all over the world assumed there wasn't much out there beyond Fairview's Goats Do Roam, South Africa has been busy making really great wine.  Since our next tasting will be the Nationality Dinner featuring wine and food from South Africa, we thought that we’d post a little primer.

NEW WORLD VS. OLD WORLD

We've all explored French wine, tasted Chianti from Tuscany and Sherry from Spain, sniffed around Portugal, and drank German wines. All of those are what we call 'Old World' wine regions. Being mostly American wine drinkers, we’re generally familiar with New World wine regions. New World regions generally have a shorter growing history than Europe, and some have a warmer climate. In general, wines from the New World are labeled with the grape variety, rather than featuring the place first.

While South Africa, which is about three times the size of the state of California, is considered a “New World” wine region, it's not new to growing wine grapes. Grapes were first planted in 1655 and soon after, the sweet wines of Constantia (near Cape Town) were praised all over Europe.

Today, South African wines straddle Old World and New. Because of the generally warm climate, South Africa's red grapes in particular get very ripe and produce full, high alcohol wines. But especially in the Western Cape, the ocean breezes help the wines retain the acidity that keeps them fresh and food friendly.

WHAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE LABEL

Most South African wine production is located in the southwestern part of the country, called the Western Cape. The wines are categorized into large geographical areas that are then broken down into regions, districts, and wards. For example, Stellenbosch is a district within the Coastal Region.

South Africa has a system called the Wines of Origin that's similar to the American Viticultural Area (AVA) system in the US. If you see a Chenin Blanc that says Wine of Origin Stellenbosch, you know a few things right away: the wine has passed a taste test, it's made from at least 85% Chenin Blanc, and every single grape came from Stellenbosch. Producers don't have to label their bottles noting that they're a Wine of Origin, but if they don't, they're not allowed to put a vintage, grape variety or region on the label.

POPULAR GRAPES AND WINES

SAUVIGNON BLANC

If you're looking for good value as the weather gets warmer, start with some South African Sauvignon Blanc. While we often think of Sauvignon Blanc as a thirst quencher for before the meal begins, the right bottle can also work well paired with richer entrées, like halibut with creamy sauce.

CHENIN BLANC

For centuries, South African winemakers called this floral grape Steen, but in the 1960s, they discovered that it was actually Chenin Blanc, the same grape that made the French region Vouvray famous. If you like Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc, then try this grape. South African examples are usually very dry or made with just a little touch of sweetness that enhances its scent.

PINOTAGE

Once thought of as smelling like Band-Aids and barnyard, recent vintages of Pinotage are delicious. Good examples of Pinotage combine blackberry and black cherry flavors with herbs and a hint of smoke. They might remind you of Southern French blends.

SHIRAZ/SYRAH

These wines, sometimes called Shiraz, sometimes Syrah, have blackberry and blueberry flavors but also an Old World earthiness. Lovers of Australian Shiraz will especially appreciate this wine.

CHARDONNAY AND PINOT NOIR

These two grapes find their home in Burgundy, France, but are grown all over the world with mixed results. It's tricky to find the right balance of sunshine and cool air (not to mention the correct soil) that these grapes need to make excellent wine. A few regions in South Africa have mastered that pretty well.

There's not much Pinot Noir grown in South Africa, but many of the options you'll find are of very high quality.  If you like Oregon Pinot Noir, you'll like this too. It has lots of acidity, medium body, and soft tannins.

CABERNET SAUVIGNON BLENDS

Are you looking for good Cabernet Sauvignon at an affordable price? It's getting harder and harder to find, but South Africa offers an impressive quality-to-dollar ratio. 

MÉTHODE CAP CLASSIQUE

Cap Classique is the name for traditional method sparkling wines made in South Africa. These wines, which can be produced anywhere in the country, get their sparkle by a second fermentation in the bottle, like Champagne. While the category is on the rise, there isn't a huge amount of shelf space dedicated to these wines...yet.