South African Wine: Great Value, and What to Look For
Translated from my original Japanese post (2018). 日本語の原文を読む →
Hello! It's Yoko, the food blogger who champions easygoing wine living!
The other day I went to a South African wine tasting.
There were so many characterful, unpretentious, charming wines that I was blown away...
Lately more and more restaurants stock South African wine, and its popularity is shooting up.
Some of you are probably reading this while drinking, so I made it a five-minute read so you can show off to whoever you're with!
It's especially strong in Bordeaux-style grapes, so I recommend it if you like a dry, tannic red!
What Makes South African Wine Special
- It's such good value that even famous winemakers around the world have fallen for it!
- Wine-making that's very kind to the planet
- A Mediterranean climate that ripens grapes well, on land over 500 million years old
- Two enchanting native varieties: Pinotage and Steen
When people think of cheap, tasty wine, many think of Chilean wine. And Chile is cheap, of course!
But cheap Chilean wine is mass-produced. They pour the wine into shipping containers by the tank and bottle it once it arrives in Japan.
That's why you can buy wine for a few hundred yen.
South Africa has more wine producers, but labor costs are far lower. And since they're small and medium-sized businesses, they can give each wine careful attention.
That makes it possible to produce good wine even when it's cheap.
South Africa had its mass-production era too, but after apartheid ended in 1994, demand from abroad grew and quality shot up!
South Africa, said to be the most beautiful wine region in the world, has more than 90% of its growing areas within a "World Natural Heritage" area!
The WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) checks nature conservation there strictly.
In the southeast a wind called the "Cape Doctor" blows. It protects the grapes from powdery mildew and rot, so wine is made without relying on pesticides or insecticides!
A true doctor, lol
With a name like Africa, you tend to picture a very hot region, but that's not the case.
The Japanese city at the same latitude is Kochi. Summers are hot and winters are cold, a Mediterranean climate where grapes ripen well.
On top of that, the Cape region is said to have the oldest soil, more than 500 million years (!) old, with great variety like granite and sandstone.
You can choose land to suit each grape variety, and good drainage makes it possible to grow high-quality grapes!
Pinotage is South Africa's signature grape. I'm not sure I've had it even five times yet, but once you've tried it, you won't forget the taste lol
It's a red with fresh, concentrated fruit, and underneath you can sense an elegance too.
Pinotage is a cross of two black grapes, Pinot Noir and Cinsault.
Pinot Noir needs no introduction, the black grape of Burgundy with its strawberry-like notes.
Cinsault is a great supporting player often blended with other grapes, grown in places like Provence. It's known for its juicy, cute aromas.
It probably takes the best of both grapes.
And then Steen. It's the white grape with the largest planted area in South Africa, a synonym of Chenin Blanc.
It seems to be declining lately, while Bordeaux varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon are slowly increasing.
Which Regions Should You Try?
The answer: drink Bordeaux-style wines from Stellenbosch!
Stellenbosch is a leading region producing high-quality wine, with a university where you can study oenology and viticulture, and it has produced many famous winemakers.
Carl Schultz, the cellar master of Hartenberg, a premium wine producer established in Stellenbosch in 1692, says
That's what he said.
After Cali Pinot and Cali Napa, could Stellen-Cab be next...!?
If you find South African wine, please give it a try!
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