The South Africa is the eighth world wine producer in term of volume.
The dominant white grape variety is the Chenin Blanc that gives good liqueur-like wines, followed by Palomino, Colombard and the different sorts of muscat. These grape varieties produce fruity and simple white wines that constitute the base of wine-exportation of the South Africa. Chardonnay and Sauvignon are abundantly planted. Sémillon is a speciality of the Franschhoek Valley. Riesling gives good liqueur-like wines.
In red, the principal grape variety is the Cinsault often convened to Pinotage, a stemming variety of the crossing of Pinot Noir and Cinsault. Both can give good wines. The best red wines are  noble grape varieties: Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Shiraz.

The first  South African vineyards have been planted at the Cape in 1665. Today, again, most of vineyards are planted in this region. Winters are fresh and rainy and long summers that spread November to May would be often too hot if the current  of Benguela of the Antarctic did not incite the fresh winds blowing  on grounds and ascend the long of valleys. Some of the best wines originates c from vineyards cultivated on abrupt hillsides of mountainous chains. In altitude, grounds are equally more propitious. In lower areas, where the viticulture is intensive, the ground lacks often acidity and this imbalance is felt in wines.

The first wines to be of a great renown were wines from Constantia, to the south of the Cape. In XVIIIth and XIXth centuries, the town was considered for its exceptional liqueur-like wines. Since the debut of nineteen century, after a long eclipsing, the region experienxces finally a rebirth (Constantia Uitsig, Klein Constantia Estate).

The great majority of the best vintages has always originated from Paarl that is known for its Xérés style wines, and Stellenbosh, as well as of adjacent valleys, like Franschhoek  (Vignerons  of Franschhoek). This valley is called " The Valley of Huguenots ". It is a reminder of the French Protestants, that brought their wine-expertise as well as their grape varieties from Burgundy and Gironde at the end of XVIIth century. Although Stellenbosch is regarded as a "fresh" region, producers are carefull with the hot climate and the nautical breeze that blows from False Bay. The best results are obtained with vineyards planted in altitude, sometimes at 600 meters above the sea level.        Among the best wineries: Alto Estate, Berkgelder, Laibach Vineyards, Meerlust Estate, Rust en       Vrede Estate, Simonsig Estate.

The region of Paarl, on the other hand, has never claimed a fresh climate. It receives only the last breath of breeze from False Bay and some winds of the Atlantic. Nevertheless it produces succulent wines with grape varieties habitually not very heat-resistant, as Chardonnay, as well as with the traditional Shiraz or Cabernet, to which it acknowledges to add Merlot and, as incredible as that could appear, Sauvignon that appear excellent. Among the best wineries : Fairview Estate, Glen Carlou Vineyards, KWV International, Nederburg.

The inland country produces excellent white wines, notably in Worcester (Bergsig Estate, Deetlefs Estate) and Robertson (De Westshof Estate, Graham Beck Wines, Robertson Winery) where the outcrop limestones help producers to defy heat of the climate and to elaborate wines from a great fineness.

In a country whose viticulture begins to enter modern age, and where the production is again dominated by great cooperatives, this beautiful domain concentration would have to provide the cradle  of a new production type, that will allow us finally  to become aware of the wine-wealth of the South Africa.

To know more about South-Africans wines, visit the site : South African Wine