Top 100 red wines of Western Cape - Page 2

Discover the top 100 best red wines of Western Cape as well as the best winemakers in the region. Explore the varietals of the red wines that are popular of Western Cape and the best vintages to taste in this region.

Discovering the wine region of Western Cape

The Western Cape is home to the vast majority of the South African wine industry, and the country's two most famous wine regions, Stellenbosch and Paarl. The city of Cape Town serves as the epicenter of the Cape Winelands, a mountainous, biologically diverse area in the south-western corner of the African continent. A wide variety of wines are produced here. Wines from the Shiraz and Pinotage">Pinotage grape varieties can be fresh and juicy or Full-bodied and gutsy.

The Western Cape's Elegant, ageworthy Cabernet Sauvignon wines and Bordeaux Blends were at the vanguard as exports recommenced in the mid-1990s, while Burgundy-style Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Walker Bay are gaining global acclaim, and cool-climate style Sauvignon Blanc from Darling and Overberg is rivaling that made in any other New World country. The Western Cape's wine regions stretch 300 kilomers (185 miles) from Cape Town to the Mouth of the Olifants River in the North, and 360km (220 miles) to Mossel Bay in the east. Areas under Vine are rarely more than 160km (100 miles) from the coast. Further inland, the influence of the semi-arid Great Karoo Desert takes over.

The climate can be cool and rainy (as in Cape Point and Walker Bay) but is more often than not Mediterranean in nature. The Western Cape is littered with spectacular mountain ranges that form the Cape Fold belt. These are extremely important for viticulture across the whole region, contributing soils and mesoclimates ideal for the production of premium wines. Of particular importance are the Boland Mountains, which form the eastern border of the Coastal Region, and the Langeberg range, which separates the Breede River Valley from the Klein Karoo semi-desert.

Discover the grape variety: Chenin blanc

It most certainly originates from the Anjou region and is registered in the official catalogue of wine grape varieties on the A1 list. It can also be found in South Africa, Australia, Argentina, Chile, the United States (California), New Zealand, etc. It is said to be a descendant of Savagnin and to have sauvignonasse as its second parent (Jean-Michel Boursiquot 2019). On the other hand, Chenin blanc is the half-brother of verdelho and sauvignon blanc and is the father of colombard.

Food and wine pairing with a red wine of Western Cape

red wines from the region of Western Cape go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of feijoada ( portuguese cassoulet ), meatballs catalan style or rabbit with mushrooms.

Organoleptic analysis of red wine of Western Cape

On the nose in the region of Western Cape often reveals types of flavors of iron, espresso or bramble and sometimes also flavors of coriander, tar or cigar box. In the mouth in the region of Western Cape is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins.

News from the vineyard of Western Cape

Duckhorn expands in Napa Valley with vineyard deals

Duckhorn Portfolio said it has acquired around 20 hectares (50 acres) of Napa Valley vineyards via separate deals. This includes 16 hectares (40 acres) of the Stanly Ranch vineyard in Los Carneros and the four-hectare (10 acre) Red Wing vineyard in St. Helena, said the group, which is listed under the ‘Napa’ ticker on the New York Stock Exchange. ‘As our portfolio has evolved to include 10 renowned luxury wineries, our commitment to having a robust estate vineyard programme continues to be centr ...

Gérard Basset Foundation launches wine scholarships for victims of war

The Gérard Basset Foundation has partnered with Artémis Domaines to offer The Golden Vines Victims of Conflict Scholarships. Artémis Domaines is the owner of famed estates Château Latour (Bordeaux), Clos de Tart (Burgundy), Domaine d’Eugénie (Burgundy), Château Grillet (Rhône) and Eisele Vineyard (California). The scholarships will ‘support qualified wine industry professionals who are victims of war and geopolitical conflict’, said the group. Successful scholars will be offered six months of vi ...

Georgia’s indigenous grapes: reviving hidden treasures

‘When I started producing wine, the wineries were all in a very bad condition,’ said Askaneli Brothers president Gocha Chkhaidze, recalling the poor state of the Georgian wine industry shortly after the country declared its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. ‘There was inadequate sanitation, a lack of know-how and old-fashioned bottling lines. People were unable to make wine sustainably, vineyards were not sufficiently cared for, agronomists were unskilled and used to harvest the maximu ...