South Africa

Grapes Soil Climate Background

South Africa This page cannot give you an overview of all the different wine regions in South Africa, as there are simply too many geographical pockets to cover. We intend to give you an overview of the regions which wines we sell. We hope you learn something about the soil, climate and the grapes which grow there. It is important to note that many winemakers however do not only make their wines using grapes they themselves grow. Many have contracting farmers from other regions supplying them with grapes. Due to this a winemaker can, for instance, offer a Sauvignon Blanc tasting completely different to another Sauvignon Blanc from the same winemaker and of the same vintage. We at Weinunikate focus on smaller wineries whose wines are not normally available in European or even South African supermarkets. We picked younger wineries with a fresh, new approach and all offering spectacular value for money. We hope our clients understand the labour involved in winemaking and that one normally gets what one pays for in the wine world. Certainly, the market does also feature overpriced wines, but those are rather the exception than the rule. In fact, it is more common in this industry to sell wine at cutthroat prices which does not make sustainable farming possible. Our wish is to offer excellent wines from South Africa which most people can easily afford, where sustainable farming is practised, where nature is preserved, where farmers can break even and where labourers are treated fairly.

Elgin 34°08′55″S 19°02′34″E

Elgin is an area formally known for traditionally growing fruits, especially apples. Due to excellent conditions for winemaking, more and more winemakers are developing more viticultural land. The area has a cool climate with lots of sunlight, high rainfalls and lots of winds. According to The Essential Guide to South African Wines , Elgin receives more sunlight hours during summer than Constantia, yet the altitude and prevailing southerly winds greatly influence the temperature which is an average of only 19,7°C in February, the hottest month of the year.¹

Geologically speaking the soils are mostly shale. There are some small parts which are mostly sandstone. The soils are acidic and need the addition of lime. Due to the high rainfalls it is normally not necessary to irrigate. All this taking into consideration, the area is great for the production of:

White Wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Sémillon

Red Wines: Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

¹Swart, E., Smit, I.:The Essential Guide to South African Wines, Second Edition, 2009, Cheviot Publishing cc, South Africa, Page 120

Robertson 33°48′″ S 19°53′ 0″ E

Robertson lies northeast of Cape Town on the worlds′ longest wine route, the famous Route 62.Since the end of Apartheid, the number of wine cellars has more than doubled in this area. Though this is a relavitely warm area with low rainfalls, it lies less than 100 kilometres from the ocean. Southeasterly winds regularly carry moist air into the valley from the ocean which cools the vineyards. The difference between day time and night time temperatures is drastic. The soils can be sandy, alluvial or chalky.¹

The Breede River flows through the town of Robertson and provides this hot area with much needed water. The valley lies at the foot of barren mountain slopes and is beautiful. People call it the Valley of Wine and Roses. Vineyards, fruit orchards, roses and bougainvillea speckle the landscape making the surrounding mountains, the Langeberg appear almost barren. Hiking in the nature reserves surrounding Robertson is a popular sport. Some of the trails are only suitable for experienced hikers as they are long and difficult. There are, however, hiking trails which are suitable for the whole family so check with tourist information should you be interested.The terroir is ideal for the production of:

White Wines: Chenin Blanc, Colombar, Muscat d′ Alexandrie, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc

Red Wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, Pinotage, Cinsaut²

¹Swart, E., Smit, I.:The Essential Guide to South African Wines, Second Edition, 2009, Cheviot Publishing cc, South Africa, Page 170

²Swart, E., Smit, I.:The Essential Guide to South African Wines, Second Edition, 2009, Cheviot Publishing cc, South Africa, Page 170

Stellenbosch 33°56′S 18°52′O

The first settlers to arrive in South Africa were Dutch people sent by the Dutch East India Company to set up a refreshment station for the ships travelling along the Cape Sea Route. They arrived in 1652 under the command of Jan van Riebeeck, the colonial administrator at the time. Van Riebeeck took vines amongst other things along on their mission and had the first cultivars planted in February 1659. Van Riebeeck kept a diary in which this was noted. Only 27 years later, in 1679, the Dutch governor Simon van der Stel founded the town of Stellenbosch which he named after himself.

In Europe at about this time, things were changing for the worse for Protestant people in France. On account of the Edict of Fontaineblea act introduced by Louis XIV, Protestantism became illegal in France, which sent about 400 000 French Hugenots fleeing from their home country.¹ Many of them left for Great Britain, the United States, Prussia, Holland and South Africa. The Hugenots were very skilled and educated people who took their knowledge, and their vines, with them wherever they went. Their skills included winemaking. Some of those who fled to South Africa settled in Stellenbosch as early as 1690, many of them settled in Franschhoek.² These settlers weren't the only winemakers in the area though. Free black slaves who were already granted plots of land in Stellenbosch in 1683 were amongst the first to farm wine in the area.³

Stellenbosch has the oldest wine route of South Africa, many of these wineries are open to visitors. It lies in a valley at about 300 metres above sea level. Many of the vines were planted on the slopes of the surrounding mountains and hills. Though it can get pretty hot in summer, the town lies only 25 km from the ocean meaning the vines are cooled by the cool air blown in from False Bay by the southeasterly wind. This helps the vines to stay healthy as humidity is lowered.

The soils mainly consists of granite though there are a large number of pockets. The soil is often high in clay, the deeper layers are acidic. Draingage is good which makes dryland viticulture possible.4 Dryland viticulture means that the grapes do not need that much irrigation if at all. Vines which do not need a lot of irrigation yield smaller bunches with thicker skins which contain more flavour. These grapes are therefore ideal for making premium wines. All this taking into consideration, the area is great for the production of:

White Wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Sémillion and Chenin Blanc

Red Wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Franc and Pinotage

¹Morison, Samuel Eliot (1972). The Oxford History of the American People. New York City: Mentor. p. 220

² Botha, Colin Graham (1921). The French refugees at the Cape. Cape Times Limited. p. 155

³ www.stellenboschheritage.co.za, p.3

4Swart, E., Smit, I.:The Essential Guide to South African Wines, Second Edition, 2009, Cheviot Publishing cc, South Africa, Page 60

Tulbagh 33°17′6″S 19°8′16″E

The whole Tulbagh region has been inhabited for thousands of years with the first inhabitants being the Khoi and the San people of South Africa. The town of Tulbagh was founded much later by Dutch and French Huguenot settlers at the end of the 18th century. The town lies in a basin surrounded by the Saronsberg and Obiqua Mountain in the West, the Winterhoek mountain in the north and the Witsenberg in the east. It's inhabitants can enjoy a warm mediterranean climate which is also ideal for winemaking, though winemakers in this area cannot make do without irrigation. The natural shade of the mountains plus the cool air from the night which get trapped by the mountains, cool the vineyards on the slopes and floor and enable quality winemaking. The terroir is extremely versatile providing excellent opportunities for current and future winemakers who want to move to this area. The boulder beds of the Kleinberg River resemble the Rhône Valley in France and the soils on the foothills are derived from shale and sandstone ¹

The following varieties are cultivated in the area:

White Wines: Chenin Blanc, Colombar, Muscat d´Alexandrie, Chardonnay

Red Wines: Cinsaut, Shiraz, Cabernet sauvignon, Merlot, Pinotage

¹Swart, E., Smit, I.:The Essential Guide to South African Wines, second edition, 2009, Cheviot Publishing cc, South Africa, Page 167

Wellington 33°38′0″S 18°59′0″E

Wellington lies just 10 km north of Paarl and can be considered the centre of vine production for the South African market. This is a warm, dry area in which not only wine and vines are grown, but also fruit and brandy. Due to the high daytime temperatures, farms do not make do without additional irrigation. Welling lies at 200 metres altitude at the foot of the Groenberg and next to the Kromme Rivier. At night cold air from the mountain cools the vines enabling the production of quality wines despite the relative high daytime temperatures. Soils are shale-based or sandstone and granite. ¹ After moving away from Chenin Blanc production, one finds all sorts of varietals like Mourvèdre, Grenache, Petit Verdot, Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in this area today.²

The following varieties are cultivated in the area:

White Wines: Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Sémillon

Red Wines Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz and Pinotage

¹Swart, E., Smit, I.:The Essential Guide to South African Wines, second edition, 2009, Cheviot Publishing cc, South Africa, Page 157

²Swart, E., Smit, I.:The Essential Guide to South African Wines, second edition, 2009, Cheviot Publishing cc, South Africa, Page 157

Our selection of South African wines