South Africa

South Africa

South Africa is the only significant African wine-producing country, primarily due to its climate. Of all African countries, only South Africa is located in a zone where the climate is very suitable for viticulture. Besides the climate, the soil is also very suitable for viticulture: South Africa has many different soil types.

South Africa currently has approximately 100,000 hectares of vineyards. This is roughly equivalent to the Bordeaux wine region or the wine country of Germany. The winegrowers collectively produce about 9 million hectoliters of wine per year. Partially, this wine is processed into brandy and wine alcohol. South Africa is the eighth-largest wine producer in the world, contributing 3.1% of global wine production.

The South African climate is cooler than many other areas located around 34 degrees south of the equator. This is because the cooler Atlantic Ocean and warmer Indian Ocean meet here, bringing precipitation. Furthermore, a cold ocean current flows northwards from the South Pole along the west coast of Africa, which has a moderating effect on the temperature. South Africa does not experience extremely hot summers, and its winters are mild and almost frost-free. Annually, there is sufficient rainfall: most precipitation falls between May and August and ranges from 450 to 1000 millimeters per year. This eliminates the need for irrigation. Viticulture benefits from these climatic conditions.

Work in a South African vineyard differs little from that in a European one. The only difference is that the season starts in September, not in February, as in Europe. After all, South Africa is in the Southern Hemisphere. While the harvest is just beginning in Europe, the grapevines in South Africa are starting to sprout. In January, summer begins in the Cape. Most grapes are harvested in February. This harvest is still done manually almost everywhere.

South Africa has gained a great deal of knowledge from other countries. Already in the seventeenth century, French Huguenots settled in Paarl. Grapevines have been imported from all over the world, and most winemakers, especially the younger ones, have learned their craft in countries and regions such as France, Germany, California, Australia, and New Zealand. The influence of this international knowledge is noticeable in the different styles of wines from South Africa.