Lisa's Wine Wednesdays
South Africa has been producing wine since the first vines were planted in the mid-1600s, brought by the Dutch governors of Cape Colony. At one time, the sweet wine of the Constantia wine region was the most prized in the world. The most important South African wine regions are around the two cities of Stellenbosch and Paarl (see the map above). A range of wine styles are made, from award-winning reds, to full-bodied Chardonnay and crisp, Sauvignon Blanc. Chenin Blanc, also known as Steen, is the local white, workhorse grape capable of making dry and sweet wines. Pinotage, South Africa’s own creation, is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault. It was developed in 1925 by Abraham Perold, the University of Stellenbosch’s first professor of viticulture.It can make great single-variety wine as well as being a wonderful grape in a South African blend. Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Bordeaux-style red blends are also among the country’s top reds.
South Africa Wine Country, also known as the Winelands, is amazingly scenic and home to over 300 vineyards. Because of the generally warm climate, South Africa's red grapes in particular, get very ripe and produce full-bodied and often high alcohol wines.
You may hear the terms “Old World” and “New World” when discussing wine. Typically, the term “Old World” just means the traditional wines of Europe, while everywhere else is referred to as “New World” wine. There are debates among winemakers that “Old World” wine may take on more earthy, mineral, and floral components, compared to “New World” wines, but these are mostly generalizations. While South African wine is typically considered “New World”, it does bridge the two, due to its viniculture having started in the mid-17th century.
Presently, there is much concern regarding the stability of the wine industry in South Africa. Economic hardship and falling tourism have certainly played a roll. On March 15, 2020, export and domestic wine sales became outlawed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Wine is South Africa’s second biggest agricultural export, earning close to $500,000,000 worth of foreign revenue every year. This ban was thankfully lifted on August 17, 2020, which the winemakers estimate approximately $110,000,000 in lost revenue during that time. So, help a neighbor out…. try some South African wine…. Here is what I found in my local stores….Let’s go lightest to most full-bodied....
*2020 Tucana, Sauvignon Blanc by Zidela Wines, Stellenbosch (Western Cape), South Africa.. (USD $16.00)
This wine is absolutely delicious. Hints of green-apple, citrus, and a slight effervescence at the end.....This would pair beautifully with seafood, in particular shellfish, and also goat cheese.
*2020 Tucana, Chardonnay, by Zidela Wines, Stellenbosch (Western Cape), South Africa.. (USD $8.50)
Yes, you read that correctly, $8.50. If you can find this wine, buy it.... IN BULK!!.... It's a little on the sweet side, but it is an unoaked Chardonnay, meaning, it was fermented in stainless steel, not in oak barrels. Many times, this makes the wine more affordable because the oak barrels cost a small fortune (sometimes up to $1000 a barrel if they are fancy French oak... la de dah.....). The difference in taste will be in unoaked, it will be bright, bold, crisp, and with citrus flavors. Oak barrel fermented Chardonnay will have (as the description suggests.....)..... oaked flavors and often hints of vanilla.
*2017 Estate grown Pinot Noir, Hamilton Russel Vineyards, Hemel-En-Aarde Valley, Hermanus, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. (USD $50.00)
Yeah, I bit a bullet for this one. Sometimes you don't get what you pay for. A to Z Pinot Noir (USD$20.00) from Oregon wine country puts this wine to shame unfortunately. This is the perfect example of a wine that had too much rain. To me.....it tastes like a dilute version of a good pinot noir. It has hints of earthiness, sour cherries, and a hint of spice. I'd be interested to know if this was a particularly rainy season in South Africa. This winery is famous for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. I'll definitely be on the look out for one of their Chardonnay's. How did this wine get a 93-point rating from Wine Spectator and a 95-point rating by the almighty Tim Atkin? I don't know. But it did...... I won't be buying it again.......
*2015 Pinotage, Simonsig, Stellenbosch, Koelenhof, South Africa. (USD $17.00)
So, this is my first tasting of a Pinotage. It's medium-bodied, but has flavors of leather, dark currants, and spices. I've honestly never tasted anything like it. It's really good!!!! After some research, it pairs well with BBQ, poultry, beef, and game meats such as venison. There were a few more Pinotage at the wine store, I'll have to compare......stay tuned for another blog on this topic.......
*2017 Cabernet Sauvignon (52%), Shiraz (45%), Tinta Barocca (1.5%), Cabernet Franc (1%) and Petit Verdot (0.5%), Simonsig, Stellenbosch, Koelenhof, South Africa. (USD $12.00)
This wine wasn't bad at all for $12.00. Hints of tobacco, dark currents, and black cherry. This wine was well balanced and would likely pair well with a beef stew or pot roast. I don't think I've ever had a wine with this many documented blends, but it was surprisingly delicious and I look forward to trying more of the South African wines.
Well, if tipsy is the correct term for what I am after tasting 5 wines...... then so be it..... This is the fun part of this blog...... I get to travel the planet every time I uncork a bottle of wine. To taste the wine of a region is to be there, to taste the terroir (soil) from which it grows. The taste buds don't forget. They become a journal..... Everyone has a wine that started it all for them....... and from there, the passion grows......
Up next week are wines from Chile..... more Southern Hemisphere wines to come........
Lisa -xoxo