This is the golden age for South African wine, fueled in equal parts by sustainability, regionality, old vines and young winemakers. Though wine has been made for more than 350 years (first plantings date back to 1659), it wasn’t until the end of Apartheid and the start of a democracy in 1994 that the floodgates – for both wine and knowledge – were opened. These past three decades of freedom have opened the wine world to South Africa, and vice versa. For the first time, growers and winemakers were able to travel outside the country, learn, experience and taste. Wine export and import shackles relaxed, allowing for the flow of information as much as for wine. South Africa exports around 450 million litres of wine, farms over 100,000 HA of vineyard, and is the 9th largest producer of wine in the world.
Today there is a league of youthful, travelled and passionate winemakers, many in their thirties and forties, who are driving change. Camaraderie and collaboration runs high, with collectives banding together for marketing, touring and resource pooling. Many of these talented folks run senior positions at large, established wineries while developing their own brands. Vineyard land, especially pockets of older, heritage vines in exciting fringe areas, is still relatively affordable, encouraging experimentation and a garagiste wine culture. In fact, these old vines are championed through South Africa’s revelatory Old Vines Project.
The new South Africa is incredibly vibrant and exciting: protecting and educating on old vines; fresh, lower alcohol reds and textured, higher acid whites; natural winemaking; reviving heritage vines; terroir exploration; traditional method sparkling (Cap Classique) are just a few darling, available and accessible finds. Quality is very high, and prices are low – a unicorn find.
