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Good Spirits: The Wines of South Africa

Article by: United Sommelier Doug Frost

 

South Africa offers a remarkable environment for wine. Within the wine-producing region of the Western Cape, there are as many species of flora as are found in the entire Northern Hemisphere. To walk in the countryside and hills that loom around Cape Town is to be tempted by a riot of smells, of flowers known and unknown, at least to me.

The winescape is just as jumbled. To puzzle it out, you have to take into account the spot on or under the hills and mountains where the vineyard is found, determine its soils, and even more importantly its direction—does it first see the sun at 6 a.m. or an hour later? You have to note the vineyard’s proximity to the ocean … but which ocean? Both the Atlantic and Indian oceans border the Western Cape. The shaggy mountains around a vineyard will decide whether the winds blow cold or warm air, and a vineyard 30 miles from the shore may be more influenced by those ocean breezes than a vineyard within spitting distance of the water.

A backgrounder on the Veneto’s mighty red; the marketing madness of bottled water; and more Poured With Pleasure, including a winemaker lunch—find them all here.

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The puzzle isn’t sorted out yet. There are distinct African viticultural problems to be resolved. But it’s exciting nonetheless, and my travels there convince me that great wines are not only possible—they’re happening. Cluver Estate’s Riesling and Hamilton Russell’s Pinot Noir are possibilities, but Sauvignon Blanc is already proven in South Africa. Yet too many of its Sauvignon Blancs seem to mimick New Zealand’s style of green bean and fresh herbs. Nothing wrong with the style, but New Zealand’s already cornered the market on it.

In coastal sites, particularly around Constantia, Darling, Cape Point, and Elim, there are Sauvignon Blancs that seem different from any others. Producers such as Klein Constantia, Groot Constantia, Buitenverwachting, Flagstone, and Cedarberg make Sauvignon Blancs that seem lacy: light, textured, and crisp.

Chenin Blanc is one of South Africa’s staples; there, they often call it Steen. Some of the Chenins are pedestrian. But Raats, Rudera, Spice Route, and Ken Forrester, among others, have convinced me that this country can create special versions of the grape.

While the international favorites (Cabernet, Chardonnay, Merlot, and such) are widely planted, Shiraz (South Africa calls it by its Aussie name) is more intriguing: smoky, cherry-laden, and earthy. Grenache and the other southern Rhône varieties are just as interesting. Fairview, Grangehurst, Kanonkop, Rustenberg, Boekenhoutskloof, Boschendal, Delheim, Glen Carlou, Graham Beck, Hartenberg, Neil Ellis, Flagstone, Rust en Vrede, and Vergelegen are creating solid wines with these grapes. And they’re not done creating yet; this is still a country in fascinating transition.

 


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