Wines Around the World

South Africa

Fine wine has been produced in South Africa since the 1600's. This is when the British, who relied heavily on France for wine, got into a fight with their supplier. England decided to make her own wine- obviously not on the motherland. They took winemaking to the colony that became South Africa. Politics has kept these great wines a secret for many years, but now it is politically correct to enjoy South African wine. The South African wine industry is making a serious effort to gain a share of the international market by offering very reasonable prices.

Chenin Blanc is the most notable of the wines coming from South Africa. With slight floral influences, this wine is light, crisp, and full of fruit. Chardonnays also do very well here. The white wines have a better reputation than the reds, but the reds should not be ignored. The most interesting red is the Pinotage, a blend of Pinot Noir and Cinsault, a red grape from France's Southern Rhone region.

South African law requires only that the region of origin of the wine be specified on the wine labels.

In the price range of $9-12 dollars the red or white wines from South Africa can be as good a bargain as the Australian wines.