Top 100 wines of South Africa

Discovering the wine region of South Africa

South Africa is one of the most important wine producing countries in the southern hemisphere. With over 300 years of wine making history, it is often described as a bridge between the Old and New Worlds. The majority of wines are produced using New World winemaking techniques, but they often have more stylistic similarities with their Old World counterparts. Since the end of apartheid, South African wine has received international attention and recognition for its wide variety of styles.

The South African wine industry is spread across the lush and rugged landscape of the Western Cape. Here, the abundance of mountains, valleys and plateaus allows winemakers to produce a wide variety of styles. Wineries can also be found in the Orange River region of the Northern Cape, where the flat, arid landscape is dominated by the Kalahari Desert. Most of South Africa's wine regions have a Mediterranean Climate, strongly influenced by the meeting of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

The country's signature Grape is Pinotage">Pinotage, an indigenous cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut that is rarely found in quantity in any other wine producing country. Shiraz is also widespread, as are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (often combined in a Bordeaux blend). However, white grape varieties account for 55% of the country's 96,000 hectares of vineyards. Chenin Blanc is the most planted grape variety in the republic with 18.

Discover the grape variety: Sauvignon blanc

Originally from Bordeaux, Sauvignon, or Sauvignon Blanc, is reputed to be one of the best French grape varieties for white wine. It is a white grape variety, not to be confused with Sauvignon Gris and its pale yellow color, or with Cabernet Sauvignon which produces red wines. Particularly famous thanks to Sancerre, Sauvignon Blanc is cultivated as far as New Zealand, where it produces great wines whose reputation is well established.

Food and wine pairing with a wine of South Africa

wines from the region of South Africa go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of chickpeas spanish style, oven-baked lamb stew or duck breast with goat cheese and local ham.

Organoleptic analysis of wine of South Africa

On the nose in the region of South Africa often reveals types of flavors of cream, citrus zest or melon and sometimes also flavors of passion fruit, baked apple or lime zest. In the mouth in the region of South Africa is a powerful with a nice freshness.

News from the vineyard of South Africa

At the heart of the terroirs of Mâcon-Cruzille

Sequence from the video « At the heart of the Mâcon terroir » which offer a stroll at the heart of the Mâcon terroir. It offers a focus on Mâcon-Cruzille, one of the 27 geographical denominations of the Mâcon appellation. Travel through the terroirs of the Mâcon appellation by watching the full video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF20y1aBZh8 Both are available in French and English. Our social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BourgogneWines Twitter: https://twitter.com/BourgogneWi ...

At the heart of the terroirs of Mâcon-Montbellet

Sequence from the video « At the heart of the Mâcon terroir » which offer a stroll at the heart of the Mâcon terroir. It offers a focus on Mâcon-Montbellet, one of the 27 geographical denominations of the Mâcon appellation. Travel through the terroirs of the Mâcon appellation by watching the full video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF20y1aBZh8 Both are availablein French and English. Our social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BourgogneWines Twitter: https://twitter.com/BourgogneW ...

At the heart of the terroirs of Mâcon-Vinzelles

Sequence from the video « At the heart of the Mâcon terroir » which offer a stroll at the heart of the Mâcon terroir. It offers a focus on Mâcon-Vinzelles, one of the 27 geographical denominations of the Mâcon appellation. Travel through the terroirs of the Mâcon appellation by watching the full video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF20y1aBZh8 Both are available in French and English. Our social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BourgogneWines Twitter: https://twitter.com/BourgogneW ...

Top 100 wines of South Africa - Page 2