We love South African wines and we hope to represent more and more in the months to come. First, at the top level they are concentrated and flamboyant in their styling. Thelema is an excellent example of a top quality winery. At the everyday level they represent incredible values.
History
The French Huguenots arrived in the Cape area in 1688 and brought with them their wine making tradition. In the 18th and 19th centuries South Africa was famous among European courts for Constantia, one of the most famous wines of the day. Since this time the industry has had its ups and downs with too much government control and then not enough. In 1957 cold fermentation was introduced which helped the quality of white wines immensely. With the fall of apartheid the wine industy is evolving quickly. Freedom Road is a wine made by a cooperative of farm workers that have joined together to make their own wine and all proceeds go to buying housing for the members.
Geography And Climate
South Africa enjoys a Mediterranean climate and many of the best wineries are located around the Cape. The Paarl and Stellenbosch regions are the most famous for quality wine production.
Trends And What To Expect
In 1995 South African wineries were allowed to buy grapes from other areas thus enabling wineries to offer more single vineyard wines and more experimental blends. This development should greatly influence the introduction and experimentation of more varietals in new and existing vineyards. The potential of new vineyard land and the introduction of different varietals promises to keep the industry exciting in the near future.
