South Africa: A Wild Wine World!
by Mike Stolese
When folks think of South Africa, wine is probably not the first thing that comes to mind…lions, leopards, elephants and safaris probably rank far ahead.
But with that said, South Africa does offer an incredible selection of wines that really need to be explored (who knows…perhaps a Syrah Safari)?
Although the South African wine industry dates back to the late 1600s, for a variety of reasons it wasn’t until the early 1990s that the world started taking notice. South Africa was more known for producing bulk wine in the 60s, 70s and 80s…quality be damned.
But the 1990s brought winemakers from around the world flocking to South Africa to check out whether the rumors were true about the potential to make excellent wines once they got away from the large co-op model that had taken over the region.
South Africa offers a perfect Mediterranean climate, the cool breezes of the oceans and ancient, diverse soils, along with higher elevation mountain ranges…all big pluses in the winemaking world.
Although South Africa only has one grape, Pinotage, that’s considered indigenous, almost all of the popular varietals do very well. Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay carry the load on white wines, and Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Bordeaux blends on the red side.
Back to Pinotage…which folks seem to have a love/hate relationship with. Pinotage is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault. It’s a unique and full-bodied red, known for its mix of dark, juicy fruit flavors and deep, savory, smoky characteristics…and smoky is no lie. If there is a barbecue in sight, grab a bottle and make your way over there…there’s no better pairing.
Above, we mentioned some of the international varietals that do well in South Africa, but as far as the whites, there’s one that deserves special mention: Chenin Blanc. Chenin is a perfect grape for South Africa, as it does well in many of the unique soils and climates (and there are many).
In Chenin, you will find everything from acidic, super-refreshing wines from coastal regions, to wines that are almost Chardonnay-like when hit with some oak barrel aging. Let us also not forget that Chenin Blanc is used in some of the world’s best dessert wines, and the dessert wines from South Africa are up there with the best of the best.
So, we all know the wines from France, Italy, Spain, the U.S., and so on. Now it’s time to check out the killer wines from South Africa. Click below for some of our favorites…
Mike Stolese is the owner of Vermont Wine Merchants, a wholesale distribution company based in Burlington.
