South African Grape Plantings

Grape	Description
Chenin Blanc	South Africa's signature white grape. Chenin Blanc produces wines from dry to sweet, and even sparkling. Predominantly grown in Stellenbosch, Swartland, and Paarl.
Sauvignon Blanc	Crisp acidity and vibrant flavors of green apple, lime, and tropical fruits. Notable regions: Durbanville and Elgin.
Chardonnay	Often oaked, producing rich and creamy wines with notes of butter, vanilla, and tropical fruits. Stellenbosch and Robertson produces high-quality Chardonnays.
Cabernet Sauvignon	The most plated black variety. Full-bodied wines with dark fruit flavors, tannins, and aging potential. Used in Bordeaux style blends with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Stellenbosch is particularly famous for its Cabernet Sauvignon.
Shiraz / Syrah	In South Africa, Syrah is predominately known as Shiraz. Syrah is used for "Rhône-style" wines. In hot climates Shiraz produces high in alcohol, full-bodied reds, known for its spicy and bold flavors, with notes of dark berries, pepper, and smoked meat. Swartland and Stellenbosch are key regions.
Merlot	Typically soft and fruityr, with flavors of plums, black cherries, and herbs. Commonly blended with other varieties. Commonly found in Stellenbosch and Paarl.
Pinotage	Unique South African grape. A cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault. Known for its bold flavors of dark fruit, smoke, and earth. Widely grown in Stellenbosch, Paarl, and Swartland.
Pinot Noir	Only planted in in the coolest areas. Most often matured in oak.

South African Wine Making

Sustainable and Organic Farming

Increasing focus on sustainable and organic practices to preserve the environment and produce healthier grapes.
Old Vines

Utilization of old vine vineyards, particularly for Chenin Blanc, which produce lower yields but more concentrated and complex flavors.
Innovative Techniques

Use of modern technology and traditional methods, such as natural fermentation and minimal intervention, to enhance the expression of terroir.
Skillfull Blending

Skillful blending of different grape varieties to create complex and balanced wines, a common practice especially for red wines.

South African WO

From 1973, the WO (Wine of Origin) program defines the Wine Regions of South Africa.

Geographical units are divided into regions.

Regions are divided into districts (Stellenbosch, Paal, Swartsland).

Districts can contain distinct areas called Wards.

The WO system was drafted after the French AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) system, but consentrated about regions, not about grape varieties and production methods.

A Ward is more equivalent to the French AOC. It defines small areas (terroirs) with a distinctive soil type or climate.

Geographical	Wo Regions	Quality Districts
Western Cape	Cape South Coast	Cape Agulhas Overberg Swellendam Walker Bay
	Coastal Region	Cape Town Darling Paarl Stellenbosh Swartland Wellington
	Breede River Valley	Breedekloof Robertson Worcester
	Klein Karoo
	Olifants River	Citrusdal Mountain
Northern Cape	None	Douglas Southerland-Karoo
Eastern Cape	None	None
KwaZulu-Natal	None	Central Drakenberg Lions River
Limpopo	None	None

Only districts with registrated Wards are listed.

CC BY-NC-SA AS Vinmonopolet

The Coastal Region

The Coastal Region contains the following districts:

Stellenbosh (12 198 hectares)
Paarl & Wellington (14 332 hectares)
Swartland & Darling (12 198 hectares)
Cape Town (2 598 hectares)

Stellenbosch

The Stellenbosch District, "The Home of South African Wine", is located a few kilometer east of Cape Town.

Named after the Governor Simon van der Stel, it was established on the banks of the Eerste River in 1679. French Huguenots arriving in the Cape found their way to Stellenbosch in the 1690s and began to plant vines.

The Stellenbosch district is South Africa's second-oldest settlement after Cape Town, and one of the oldest and most renowned wine regions in South Africa, with winemaking traditions since the 17th-century.

(Simon van der Stel also established the wine estate of Constantia in Cape Town.)

Stellenbosh is best known for its red wines, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Bordeaux Blends, Shiraz and Cap Red Blends. Total area under vine in 2023: 12 198ha (https://topwinesa.com/)

The mountainous terrain, cooling winds from False Bay, good rainfall in the winter, not too hot summers, deep well-drained soils (granite and sandstone) and a diversity of terroirs, create good conditions for various grape varieties.

Black Grapes	White Grapes
20% Cabernet Sauvignon 12% Shiraz 11% Merlot 8% Pinotage 3% Cabernet Franc 2% Pinot Noir	13% Sauvignon Blanc 10% Chenin Blanc 8% Chardonnay
Terroir	Climate
Well Drained Granite and Sandstone	Mountains. Mediterranean Moderate to Warm. Good Rainfall in Winter. Not Too Hot Summers. Deep well-drained Soils. Diversity of Terroirs. Granite and Sandstone. Good conditions for various grapes.

Paarl

The Paarl District is located a few kilometer north of Stellenbosch.

Paarl is one of South Africa's most renowned wine regions, with a history of viticulture dating back to 1688 when the French Huguenots were granted land to farm in the Drakenstein area.

The district produces a wide range of wines, from robust reds to elegant whites.

Paarl includes the wards Simonsberg-Paarl, Agter-Paarl, and Voor Paardeberg.

Black Grapes	White Grapes
15% Cabernet Sauvignon 15% Shiraz 9% Pinotage 7% Merlot	19% Chenin Blanc 8% Chardonnay 6% Sauvignon Blanc
Terroir	Climate
Granite. Gravel. Clay Loam. Sandstone. Shale Terraces.	Mediterranean Climate Warm Summers and Mild Winters.

Wellington

Wellington is located in the Coastal Region a just few kilometer north-east of Cape Town.

Wellington mainly produce Red Wines, particularly Shiraz.

Other varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage, Merlot) are also grown.

Black Grapes	White Grapes
Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon Pinotage Merlot
Wards	Climate / Terroir
Blouvlei Bovlei Gronenberg Limietberg Mid-Berg River	Mediterranean. Hot Summers and Moderate Winters. Soil: Shale, Sandstone and Granite.

Cape Town

The Cape Town District is located on the Cape Peninsula.

The district grows a wide range of grapes, but are best known for Sauvignon Blanc.

Cape Town is a cooler district. It is cooled by the Atlantic Ocean from both sides of the peninsula. This creates a long ripening periods, which influences the aromatic profile of the wines.

Good soils, cooling sea breezes, night-time mists and proximity to the Atlantic ocean are beneficial factors when it comes grape quality.

The Constantia Ward

The Constantia Valley is the oldest winegrowing district in South Africa. It is an historic wine region, famous for sweet wines and Sauvignon Blanc.
The Durbanville Ward

Durbanville has a good reputation for Sauvignon Blanc. With vineyards as high as 380m above the sea level, Durbanville is also attracting attention from Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The Philadelphia Ward

Philadelphia also benefits from the cooling Atlantic Ocean. Some of the vineyards are up to 250m above sea level. This gives high day/night temperature differences and results in slower ripening. Philadelphia ward produces some highly regarded Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and red blends.

Black Grapes	White Grapes
16% Cabernet Sauvignon 10% Merlot 10% Shiraz	36% Sauvignon Blanc 6% Chardonnay
Terroir	Climate
	Cooler Region. Cooling from the Ocean. Long Ripening Period. Atlantic Ocean on both sides of the Peninsula. Sandstone Soil with high concentrations of loam and granite.

Groot ("Great") Constantia is the oldest wine estate in South Africa.

Darling

The Darling District incorporates the Groenekloof ward, which is one of the closest to the cooling Atlantic, is known for an exceptional quality Sauvignon Blanc.

Swartland

The Swartland District is located few kilometer east of Cape Town, and a few kilometer north of Paarl.

The district produces top style wines, both red and white.

Swartland is known for its old vine Chenin Blanc and innovative winemaking practices. Many award-winning wines have emerged from Swartland.

Swartland has 3 main soil types: shale/schist, granite, and iron-based soils. Each soil has very different characteristics creating unique growing conditions.

Black Grapes	White Grapes
16% Shiraz 14% Cabernet Sauvignon 11% Pinotage 6% Merlot	20% Chenin Blanc 9% Sauvignon Blanc 5% Chardonnay
Terroir	Climate
Shale. Shist. Granite. Iron-based Clay.	Hot and Dry. Stressed Vines. Concentrated Flavors-

CC BY-NC-SA AS Vinmonopolet

The Brede River Region

The Brede River Region contains the following districts:

Breedekloof (12 772 hectares)
Robertson (12 889 hectares)
Worcester (6379 hectares)

Total area under vine 2023: 31 990 ha (https://topwinesa.com/)

The Brede River Valley

The Breede River Valley is responsible for 40% of South Africa's total wine production.

The region is surrounded on three sides by mountain ranges.

Breedekloof

The Breedekloof District has vineyards on alluvial valley soils resting on a bed of river stones. The district covers most of the Breede River Valley. There are more than 20 wineries on the Breedekloof Wine Route, including the Goudini and Slanghoek wards.

Most-planted grapes: Chenin Blanc, Colombar, Sauvignon Blanc.
Robertson

The Robertson District is best known for Chardonnay and Sparkling wines. The climate is warm and dry. Limestone-rich soils contribute to the minerality of the wines.

Most-planted grapes: Colombar, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc.
Worcester

The Worcester District is the largest in wine district in Sourh Africa. It counts for nearly 20% of the area of all national vineyards. It produces 25% of South Africa’s total volume of wine and spirits and is the most important Brandy producing district in the country.

Most-planted grapes: Chenin Blanc, Colombar.

Black Grapes	White Grapes
7% Cabernet Sauvignon 6% Shiraz 6% Pinotage	19% Chenin Blanc 15% Columbar 12% Sauvignon Blanc 9% Chardonnay
Terroir	Climate
On the valley floor: Alluvial. Sandy Loam. In the mountains: Gravel and Limestone.	Mediterranean. Moderate Winters. Proper Winter Rainfall. Hot and Dry Summers. Need for Irrigation.

CC BY-NC-SA AS Vinmonopolet

Cape South Cost Region

The Cape South Cost Region contains the following districts:

Cape Agulhas
Elgin
Overberg
Swellendam
Walker Bay

Total area under vine 2023: 2611 hectares (https://topwinesa.com/)

Cape Agulhas

The Cape Agulhas District is famous from its high-quality Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz wines.

In the Elim ("Place of God") ward, the maritime vineyards are situated near Cape Agulhas at Africa's southernmost point.

Strong, cooling summer winds ensure a cool ripening season, perfect for Sauvignon Blanc, but also promising for Semillon and Shiraz.

Elgin

The Elgin District is a cooler climate region producing high-quality Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc wines.

At 350m above sea level, close to False Bay, the Elgin Valley has made a name for itself as the cool climate wine capital of South Africa.

The cooler climate is ideal both for white wines and for Pinot Noir.

Walker Bay

The Walker Bay District is famous for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines from Hemel-en-Aarde..

The Hemel-en-Aarde Valley ("Heaven on Earth Valley") contains the 3 wards– Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley.

Walker Bay also produces fine examples of Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Shiraz.

The cool climate is the key here, where vineyards benefit from persistent cooling winds from the nearby ocean.

Overberg

The cooler climate and various terroirs of the Overberg District has proved to be highly favourable in the production of award-winning wines.

The vineyards in Overberg reach as high as 700m (2300 feet) above the sea. Many hours of sunlight coupled with cooling sea breezes from Walker Bay, gives a ripening season into April.

Overberg wines are well-balanced, with complex flavors and good acidity.

Most poular grapes: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc.

Black Grapes	White Grapes
13% Pinot Noir 12% Shiraz	29% Sauvignon Blanc 14% Chardonnay
Terroir	Climate
Weathered Shales.	Cool Climate. Mild Winters. Moderate Winter Rain. Cloudy Summers. Long Season. Cooling Ocean Winds. Breeze from the Walker Bay.