STELLENBOSCH SA The historical town of Stellenbosch, which features some of the finest examples of Cape Dutch architecture, boasts a winemaking tradition which stretches back to the end of the 17th-century. The mountainous terrain, good rainfall, deep well-drained soils and diversity of terroirs make this a sought-after viticultural area. The rapidly increasing number of wine estates and producers (in excess of 160) includes some of the most famous names in Cape wine. The district, with its mix of historic estates and contemporary wineries, produces excellent examples of almost all the noble grape varieties and is known for the quality of its blended reds. Stellenbosch, the 'town of oaks', is also the educational and research centre of the winelands. Stellenbosch University is the only university in South Africa which offers a degree in viticulture and oenology, and it has many of the country's most successful winemakers as alumni. The Elsenburg School of Agriculture is also near Stellenbosch, as is the Nietvoorbij Institute of Viticulture and Oenology. This organisation has one of the most modern experimental wineries in the world and, at its experimental farms (situated in several wine growing districts), important research into new varietals, clones and rootstocks is undertaken. The intensively farmed Stellenbosch district has been divided up into several smaller viticultural pockets including Banghoek, Bottelary, Devon Valley, Jonkershoek Valley, Papegaaiberg, Polkadraai Hills and Simonsberg-Stellenbosch. DeWaal, Uterwyk Estate Family Home
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- Currently 112,590 hectares of vines producing wine grapes are under cultivation in South Africa over an area some 800 kilometres in length. However, of these 10,983 hectares are under sultanas, used only for distilling wine for brandy. White varietals constitute 74% of the plantings for wine, with Chenin Blanc plantings comprising 25% of the total. Red varietals account for 26% of the national vineyard. The most widely planted red varietal is Cabernet Sauvignon, accounting for 7% of the total. Shiraz now accounts for 7%, while Pinotage, which is indigenous to South Africa, and Merlot each represent 2% (the above percentages excludes sultana).
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- The local wine industry as a whole is strengthening its focus on five noble varietals and is primarily replanting, on a large scale, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz, and Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. In line with shifting market demands and the growth of red wine consumption, the industry rapidly increased its plantings of red wine varietals, which in 2000 and 2001 constituted over 80% of all new plantings. This fell to 65% in 2002, to 51% in 2003, to 41% in 2004 and to 26% in 2005.
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- In 2005, plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon decreased by 50% on the previous year's figures. At the same time, lesser white varieties are being uprooted and replanted to noble varietals. Over 2,405 hectares of white wine vineyards were uprooted in 2005, representing 63% of all vines uprooted that year (excluding sultana).
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- About 257,000 people are employed both directly and indirectly in the wine industry, including farm labourers, those involved in packaging, retailing and wine tourism. Wine tourism employs some 59,000 of these people. The wine industry contributes 8,2% to the Western Cape's gross geographic product.
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- In terms of world wine production, South Africa ranks as number nine in volume production of wine and produces 3,3% of the world's wine (2003 figures).
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- Of the country's total annual harvest of 905m litres in 2005, 69% was devoted to the making of wine, 9% to brandy, 7% to grape concentrate and the balance to grape spirit.
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- Exports of natural (ie non-fortified) wine for the 2005 calendar year reached 280m litres, an increase of 5% on the previous year. Red wine exports grew by 4% to account for 53% of all natural wines exported.
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- Varietals which showed the most export growth in the case of bottled wines during 2005 compared to the previous year were Pinotage, Merlot, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc.
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Cheers. Rome |
