I've been a fan of South African wines for 20 years. There's a long, storied history to winemaking around the Cape of Good Hope; the wines have great quality and value, distinctive character, and their own, unique grape variety – Pinotage.
South African Wines
I've been a fan of South African wines for 20 years. There's a long, storied history to winemaking around the Cape of Good Hope; the wines have great quality and value, distinctive character, and their own, unique grape variety - Pinotage.
South Africa's been making wine since 1652 - one of the first things the Dutch did when they established a resupply outpost at the Cape was to plant grapes. The quality wasn't very good, but then the Huguenot Protestant refugees from western France arrived, and that changed everything. By the early 1800s, Constantia was the favored dessert of Europe - ordered in quantity by Napoleon.
In the late 1800s the industry was hit by the successive disasters of disease, low quality, a poorly-managed government price control board, and apartheid. Since 1991, these obstacles have been dealt with, and now South Africa is experiencing a great renaissance. In fact, it is the arguable leader in sustainable agriculture and eco-tourism for wine.
South African wine appeals to me because it occupies a middle ground between the austere European style of wine making, and the exuberant fruit-forward approach of the New World. When you look at Chardonnay in the style of Burgundy, you can't beat South Africa for price and quality. Similarly, a good Pinotage has the combination of heft and spice of an old-vine Zinfandel for half the price.
Here's a dozen of my favorite South African wines; get more detail by checking John Platter's South African Wine Guide, an exhaustive annual review of every wine produced in the country. These wines retail for under $20 except where noted.
- Indaba Chenin Blanc: Floral aromas, with a crisp taste of citrus and honeysuckle.
- Seven Sisters Chenin Blanc: Guava, passionfruit, and vanilla notes, with a full body. It finishes crisp, and pairs wonderfully with chicken and veal.
- Simonsig Chenin Blanc: Aromas of sun-ripened yellow apples and pears, followed by a smooth, mellow mouth feel with notes of dried apricots and a hint of honey.
- Paul Cluver Sauvignon Blanc: If you like New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, you have to check this out. It's loaded with fresh-cut pink grapefruit aroma and taste, with a touch of minerality.
- Nederberg Lyric: A delicious blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chenin Blanc, with notes of peach, apricot, gooseberry, and fresh-cut grass. Excellent for cocktail hour or with a green salad.
- Glen Carlou Chardonnay: From star winemaker David Finlayson, this has the quality of top Pouilly-Fuisse. It's lush and round, with notes of toast, lemon curd, popcorn, and apple.
- Ken Forrester Petit Pinotage: A soft, fruity Pinotage with a touch of oak and smoke on the finish.
- Onyx Pinotage ($25): Big, chewy, and spicy, with cherry, plum, and woodsmoke notes - great with dry-rubbed ribs.
- Excelsior Cabernet Sauvignon: Chocolatey - save a glass after steak to have with your chocolate cake.
- Black Pearl: Huge Cabernet fruit up front, with Shiraz contributing spice and tannin on the finish.
- Glen Carlou Grand Classique ($25): A Bordeaux-style blend, with great notes of cedar and red fruit, and then a silky, spicy finish.
- The Chocolate Block ($40): Just stunning - from Platter's Winery of the Year in 2012. A big Rhone blend with a touch of Cabernet for extra fruit.
When you're shopping, I encourage you to try any South African Chenin Blanc or Pinotage you run across; they really know what they're doing with those grapes. Cheers!
