South Africa — 09/07/2007

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SOUTH AFRICA

The Cape is one of the most spectacular vineyard areas in the world, and this tour is a great excuse to escape the depths of our winter The Cape has a long tradition of wine production dating back to the Dutch settlers of 1652. When the British took over in 1806 a new wealth was brought to the country and many of the gracious Cape-Dutch homesteads seen today were built as a result of the success of that era.

It was hoped that the Cape would become ‘the vineyard of the Empire’ and though quality table wine production didn’t really catch on, Constantia Muscat became famous and Cape ‘Port’ and ‘Sherry’ became quite popular. The good times didn’t last, in 1861 the Liberal ‘free traders’ under Gladstone removed the ‘Empire Preference Tariffs’ and in 1886 the pest phylloxera struck, devastating the vineyards. These were rapidly replanted, but largely with low quality varieties and the majority of the production languished in mediocrity for a century.

The KWV cooperative was granted enormous powers and dictated on all policy, including which grape varieties could, and could not, be grown. As a result, when the Chardonnay boom got underway in the 1970’s, South Africa had no Chardonnay plantings. The first “Chardonnay” vines were smuggled into the country in the 1980’s and indeed turned out not to be Chardonnay atall. Likewise the first Pinot Noir turned out to be a particularly bad clone from Switzerland. Thus because of the restrictive practices of the governing body, the South African wine industry languished. Many vines were virally infected and the standard of wines was poor in comparison to the new wave of wines being produced in other New World countries.

In the last ten years the South African wine industry has undergone a revolution. Given greater freedom, the small, Estate wineries have brought the country up to date, and puled the quality level up to the point that they can now stand comparison with any wine producing country. Over the last two or three years the second wave of this revolution has kicked in. A new, younger generation is beginning to make its presence felt. Young men and women who cut their teeth working for the better estates are now setting up on their own and producing wine with a confidence and style the like of which South Africa has never seen. The next five years promise to be extremely interesting.

Constantia

Only minutes from the leafy, affluent suburbs of Western Capetown is the country’s oldest vineyard region. Vines were first planted here by Simon van de Stel in the late 17th Century. The intervening centuries have seen the reputation of the area’s wines soar to legendary heights (In the late 18th Century they were more expensive than the top wines in Bordeaux) and plummet to near oblivion. In the 20th Century the industry was held back by being in the stranglehold of the KWV (the grapegrower’s co-operative).

The last two decades have seen the region undergo a massive renaissance. Under the leadership of a number of dynamic, quality-driven winemakers, working on the smaller wine estates, the wines now stand comparison with anything produced anywhere in the world.

The Wines

Situated on the eastern slopes of the Cape Peninsula, Constantia benefits from cooling easterly breezes wafting across False Bay. It is, therefore, one of South Africa’s cooler regions. The wines here are typified by elegance and balance. Cabernet Sauvignon is probably the most successful red variety here. Especially since the introduction of new clones. Stylistically it is more Margaux than Pauillac, with finesse rather than power being the watchword. The same is true of Constantia’s Shiraz, which is more akin to Rhone Syrah than Australian Shiraz.

Being cooler, the region is also well suited to white varietals. Of these, Chardonnay is the most succesful, but Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc can also be outstanding. Historically the region’s reputation was built on its nectar-like sweet wines, and this tradition continues to this day.

Notable Estates: Klein Constantia, Buitenverwachting.

Stellenbosch

The university town of Stellenbosch was founded by Simon van der Stel in 1679, and it still enjoys a relaxed colonial style. Huge swathes of the town are classified as national monuments, and the beautiful Cape Dutch architecture is set off by a backdrop of mountains, which constitute one of the most beautiful wine regions in the world.

The Wines
Possibly the best known of South Africa’s wine regions, Stellenbosch is most notable for its red wine production. Although there are also some outstanding whites and, increasingly, sparkling wines. Warmer than Constantia, it is close enough to the coast to benefit from the cooling breezes from False Bay, but the micro-climate becomes progressively warmer as one heads north and east. Geographically and climatically this is a very diverse region, and it is divided into a number of sub-appellations. Cabernets from the south-west, in the Eesterivier Valley are the lightest in style, and often display a herbaceous character over their ripe berry fruit flavours. Moving northward to the warmer sub-regions the Cabernets become increasingly full bodied and structured.

Stellenbosch is also home to some of the nations finest Pinotages. Pinotage, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, needs warmer climes to ripen fully, and it finds ideal conditions to the north of Stellenbosch. The warmer spots are also well suited to a number of Portugese Port grapes, such as Touriga Nacional and Tinta Barocca, which may be used to produce Port-style wines or robust red table wines.

Shiraz also works well in this area, but the style varies hugely, ranging from lightish Rhone style to a more Barossa-like intensity. Stellenbosch is such a diverse region that it is almost impossible to summarize in the space available. This is illustrated by the fact that despite being a predominantly red wine region, it manages to produce some sublime white wines, most noticeably a number of world-class, cool-climate Sauvignon Blancs. The reason for this diversity is largely that the effects of the hot climate may be ameliorated by altitude and vineyard aspect. Whatever general rule one applies to Stellenbosch will, inevitably, be countermanded by an exception. That is what makes it one of the most fascinating wine regions in the world. This has attracted a lot of new blood to the region, which has seen a burgeoning of small boutique or “garagiste” wineries over the last four or five years.

Notable Estates: Red – Warwick Estates, Vriesenhof, Ruste-en-Vrede, Simonsig, Kanonkop. Red and White – Thelema, Neil Ellis, Kaapzicht. White – Mulderbosch, Rustenberg, Vergelegen.

Paarl

The sleepy farming town of Paarl dominated the South African wine industry for decades. Largely because it was home to the KWV, the wine grower’s co-operative, which controlled wine making in the Cape until very recently. The region is now home to some of South Africa’s most innovative and interesting wine estates.

The Wines

Being more northerly and further from the coast Paarl has a warmer climate than Stellenbosch, but, once again, the heat can be moderated by altitude and exposure. Consequently this is another complicated appellation, home to full-bodied reds and surprisingly elegant whites and sparklers. Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Pinotage and Merlot all perform well here. The predominent style is full-bodied, with delightful ripe berry flavours. Ripe tannins make these wines appealing in their youth, and the judiscious addition of fruit from cooler vineyard sites adds structure and elegance.

Surprisingly,given the warmth of the area, the most successful white varietal is Chardonnay, which produces full bodied, buttery wines, which can withstand large amounts of oak. The style tends towards full-bodied, with an atractive spiciness akin to Burgundy, rather than the sweeter oaked style normally associated with the New World. A number of producers, whose vineyards enjoy a cooler meso-climate, have also had success with Sauvignon Blanc. This works best in an Old World style, and may often be oaked, giving a richer Fumé-Blanc characteristic.

Notable Estates: Villiera, Fairview, Glen Carlou.

Franschhoek

The Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, in 1685, brought an end to religious tolerance in France, and resulted in the mass migration of Hugenots into Holland, and thence on to South Africa. In 1688 the French Hugenots in South Africa were deeded a parcel of land to the north of Stellenbosch. This became known as the “French Corner”, or Franschoek in Africaans. These French settlers brought considerable winemaking expertise with them, and the area rapidly established itself as wine country.

The Wines

This is an appellation that produces excellent reds from Cabernet, Merlot and Shiraz. Some of the finest reds are blends, which are reminiscent of the Medoc. As a stand alone variety, Cabernet is the most successful. At their best these are powerful, blackcurrant flavoured wines with a hint of spice, and tremendous structure and intensity. This region also boasts some excellent Pinot Noirs, not normally a varietal associated with the Cape.

Chardonnay here is full-bodied and buttery, but, usually, with good citric acidity. Sauvignon Blanc is normaly produced in the Fumé Blanc style. However, the real success story in Franschhoek, in recent years, has been sparkling wines. Using the classic varietals, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the area has established an enviable reputation for fizz, very few examples of which are seen outside the Cape. The style falls somewhere between the austerity of Champagne and the riper New World version.

Notable Estates: Clos Cabriere, Boschendal, Boekenhoutskloof, L’Ormarins.

Hermanus

An hour’s drive south-east, along the coast, from Cape Town, Hermanus is the coolest of South Africa’s wine regions. The area was widely planted before Phylloxera invaded in the late 19th Century. Phylloxera devasted the vineyards of the Cape, and when replanting started Hermanus was considered too cool to be worth the effort. Other crops thrived, and were more profitable, and as the industry then survived on Port and Sherry styled wines, winemaking was left to those in warmer climes. (Ironically, much of the new investment in the country’s vineyards is now centred around cooler regions).

Hermanus remains a small appellation to this day, but it is important as South Africa’s answer to Burgundy. Here, in the cool, maritime climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay produce wines of classical elegance. The success of the area is attributable to one man, Tim Hamilton Russell. His eponymous wine estate remains the major producer in the area. His Chardonnays are Burgundian in every way, apart from provenance. The same is true of his Pinot Noir, which has an elegance and finesse rarely found outside France. When Hamilton Russell perversely decided to make wine in Hermanus he was ridiculed by many in the industry, but today he is revered as a visionary, and many of the area’s leading producers, including Peter Finlayson, of Bouchard Finlayson, learnt their trade working for Hamilton Russell. More recently the region has enjoyed success with Sauvignon Blanc, which is also well suited to the cooler climate.

Notable Estates: Hamilton Russell, Bouchard Finlayson.