South African rosé wines

Spektakulärer Blick auf ein von der Sonne beschienenes Bergmassiv in Südafrika mit saftig grünen Weinfeldern davor

South African rosés are no longer an insider tip – find your perfect (food) pairing. Despite less than 30 years of rosé wine culture in South Africa, amazing rosé wines are produced here. Incidentally, rosé is not a specific grape variety, but a style of wine, just like red wine or white wine. The French are the number one producers of rosé wine by volume, followed by the Spanish and Italians. In the beginning, rosé wines in South Africa were very fruity and sweet, which is why they were often referred to as “housewife wines.” From 2007 to 2014, production volume tripled. The figures refer to South Africa and worldwide. The demand for dry, high-quality rosé wines is therefore steadily increasing, with southern French rosé wines being regarded as a great role model. South Africa's winemakers, known for their creativity and cuvée artistry, have succeeded in creating harmonious and light rosé wines with great elegance.

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Rosé wines – as fruity as a summer garden

Rosé wines from South Africa are often made from Blanc de Noir, a white wine made from red grapes. The final color of the rosé wine is determined by how long the grape skins are left in contact with the mash. The second option is to make a rosé from red and white grapes. It is also possible to make a rosé exclusively from red grapes. However, the contact between the mash and the grape skins should be kept to a minimum – the longer the contact, the darker the color of the rosé.

Even South African Pinotage is often used in rosé wine production. Its grapes give the wine its authentic pink hue. By blending different grape varieties such as Shiraz, Grenache, Mouvedre, Pinot Grigio, Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cinsault, Viognier, Pinot Noir, and Gamay Noir, a wide variety of rosé wines are produced. Rosé varieties with a strong pink, raspberry, or cherry color usually have a strong and fruity body with Turkish delight, cotton candy, and strawberry aromas and flavors.

You can find fruity rosé wines in our store:

- Thelema- Stellenbosch
- Mulderbosch- Stellenbosch
- Beyerskloof- Stellenbosch
- Buitenverwachting- Constantia
- Weltevrede- Bonnievale
- 4 Cousins -Robertson

“La vie en rose” at the Cape

All rosé wines with a pale color are also called “blush” in South Africa. This means “tinted” and is simply another word for rosé. The all-rounder rosé, which impresses with its good balance of tannin and acidity, lies exactly between the flavor characteristics of a red and a white wine. This makes it a good match for a wide variety of foods. Rosé wine has evolved from a summer wine for picnics and barbecues to a year-round talent. Rosés go well with fish, vegetables, and poultry, grilled meat, or even snacks such as chips and cookies.

Rosé wines should always be well chilled and are not suitable for long-term storage. They don't need to be either – they simply taste best when fresh and tend to become dull with age and oxidize very quickly, which can lead to a port-like taste. Storage time should not exceed one year. Dry rosé wines can often be recognized by their pale color. Pale pink or salmon pink are typical colors. The taste is reminiscent of strawberries, peach blossoms, melon, or rose petals. The selection of rosés in the Cape Winelands is enormous. Here is just a small selection of recommendations.

Dry rosé wines from our shop:

- Holden Manz -Franschhoek
- Delheim -Stellenbosch
- Vondeling -Paarl
- Steenberg -Tokai
- Spier -Stellenbosch
- Asara -Stellenbosch
- Leopard’s Leap- Franschhoek
- DeMorgenzon- Stellenbosch
- Boschendal -Franschhoek
- Gabrielskloof -Bot River
- Laborie -Paarl