South Africa is a relatively newplayer in the international wine world, but is increasingly producing betterwine through the years. It is good at producing wine which represents goodvalue for money whether it be a table wine or a fine wine that you are lookingfor.
South Africa is classed as ?New World? but the wine that it produces is far fromthat. In fact it seems to bridge the gap between ?Old World? and ?New World? styles making the product that it produces oneof great interest to anyone who has a passing interest in wine. Add to this aselection of grape varieties that are not found in the other wine producingnations and you can benefit from a whole range of unique wine.
Redwine is something that South Africa seems to be attracting a lot ofattention for ? Pinotage is one such variety which produces a red wine that isearthy and has a savoury taste to it ? a unique take on red wine.
Themost well known regions for wine production in South Africa are: Stellenbosch; Constantia; Paarl; and WalkerBay
Stellenboschis close to Cape Townand is in fact the country's largest wine growing area. The vineyards are surroundedby mountains and the town is a university town. It is a very picturesque place? ideal in fact for wine touring. Within this area there are several differentregions but in general the east is known for the red wine, whereas thesandstone areas in the west are responsible for the whites.
Constantiais a region which is tucked away in one of the Southern suburbs of Cape Town. This area wasone of the first regions planted with grapes and hence has a pedigree forproducing high quality wine.
Paarlis North West of Cape Town and is traditionally home to white wine production. Howeverin recent years it has diversified into red wine territory. This has been dueto the climate here which is similar to a Mediterranean climate and thereforewell suited for growing all types of grape. The vines here are grown on slopesand the vineyards that produce the best wine are those situated further up theslope.
WalkerBay is a cool climateregion and it therefore famous for producing Chardonnay, Pinot Noir andSauvignon Blanc. This region is the one to look out for especially as the winesthat are currently coming out of here are somewhat unique in taste and couldjust be the next big thing
Fora great range of South African wines, or just to browse wine in general, it isa good idea to consult an independent online wine retailer. You can browsewines in your chosen price range, and you can research before you buy.
