South African wine is renowned across the world, with South African wine estates producing quality vintages every year. South African wine was first produced in the 1650s, with Cape Winelands wines being sought after in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Over the course of 350 odd years, new attitudes, methods, technologies, understanding and enthusiasm have revolutionized the way wine is made and enormous investments in capital and expertise have improved production at every level.
While South African winemakers still treasure some old and established wine varietals and styles, there is a tremendous excitement within this vibrant and constantly expanding industry.
Do you know what’s great? Wine. Do you know what is even greater than wine (the correct answer to this question is ‘free wine’)? These vino facts, all ten of them, below....more
Although boxed wine has always been seen as the cheap and alternative saviour for poor university students, who can’t afford the ‘good stuff’, it’s not a second-class beverage in the least....more
The first Cape wine in South Africa was made on the slopes of Table Mountain during the tenure of the first Dutch governor, Commander Jan van Riebeeck,...more
When you purchase a bottle of wine, not much thought goes into how it was made - the harvesting process, crushing the grapes and adding yeast for fermentation, amalgamating to...more
South Africa has earned a prestigious reputation as one of the top wine countries in the world. A relatively new addition to the worldwide wine market...more
If in the aftermath of a celebration, whether it was raising a glass to the end of the week or participating in standard festivities like a birthday or an anniversary, leftover wine is a result...more
At first glance the process of wine-making seems simple enough: you gather grapes, compress them into tanks and wait for some time to pass the “voila!” You have wine....more
South Africa’s wine heritage adds to the country’s diverse agricultural practices and its international reputation as a top-quality wine producer....more
Once a screw cap closure is added to bottled wine, it is highly unlikely that the wine will age due to oxidation, a process facilitated by the presence of oxygen....more
South African wine industry boasts the Big Six, which refers to the cultivars: Pinotage, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc....more
The cold, wet winters and warm dry summers of a Mediterranean climate are the ideal climatic conditions to nurture vines to produce excellent quality wines, and besides the Atlas Mountains in Morocco...more
When you find yourself in a crowded wine tasting room, surrounded by wine geeks who would all like your input on the ‘delicate’ dryness of the particular wine in question, fear not!...more
The grape is but a small fruit with a soft shell and a sweet, fleshy interior that, when fermented, creates the liquid of the gods - good ol’ wine. There is definitely some truth behind the popular saying “Aging like fine wine…”,...more
The heart of the Cape Wine Route is roughly delineated by the triangle formed by Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschoek. Drive along just about any road...more
Not all wines are created equal. Some are light and crisp, some are dark and full-bodied. Others are organic with conscious consumption in mind, and only some are vegan. Yes, you read correctly - not all wines are vegan....more
Within the tornado of expert opinions, wine snobs and trembling novices trying to make sense of everything, there are nuggets of truth that brings to light the beauty of wine...more
Where one glass is only bettered by two, organic wine is the definitive tipple for you. Quotes and rhymes aside, conscious consumption has steadily been making its presence the norm in the world...more
They date back to the early 20th century, when wine grape grower’s came together to support one another’s dreams of winemaking while staying afloat financially....more
Most people don’t know this, but vineyards cannot just grow anywhere. Sure, you can plant them, but the key behind successful grape cultivation lies in the soil....more
For most of the 20th century, co-operatives defined the landscape of South African wine before moving into the back row to make way for enterprising wine estates and wineries with a knack for business....more
South Africa is blessed with a plethora of outstanding wine estates around the country. The Mzansi Winelands have flourished into premier tourist destinations, offering a world-class wine experience...more
When you are not in the privacy of your own home, chugging glass after glass of wine like there’s no tomorrow, you might want to practice some basic wine etiquette in public spaces....more
South Africa has become a major player in the world's wine industry and produces a range of wines, from light table wines and full-bodied red wines...more
The variety of wine styles produced in South Africa is extensive and includes both traditional wine styles and their more alternative modern counterparts. Within the main styles of wine, there are different levels of sweetness...more
An interest shared is an interest doubled. Case in point, wine connoisseurs the world over pronounce their enjoyment of the fermented grape when they join a wine tasting club....more
We love wine - we drink it, we savour it, we celebrate it. But, we rarely talk about it! It’s so easy to get intimidated by the special wine language of French lingo and scientific explanations....more
