South African white wines

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

South African white wines captivate with their elegance, fruitiness and minerality – bringing freshness to the glass.
‘New World wines’, as wines from South Africa are also known, do not have as long a history as our European wines. One of the first grape varieties used for white wine was the Muscat grape. A very sweet grape. The first attempt by Jan van Rieebeck, a Dutch sailor and former governor of Cape Town, to produce a Muscat wine in February 1659 resulted in a sweet, sour and cloudy wine.

Nothing like what we enjoy in our glasses today. However, between 1688 and 1690, wine culture improved considerably with the arrival of the Huguenots, who brought with them a wealth of wine knowledge. They gradually settled in Franschhoek (French Quarter). To this day, Franschhoek is famous in South Africa for its excellent wines.

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White wines and their terroirs

Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Colombar and Semillion are the best-known white wine grape varieties. Other well-known white grape varieties include Riesling, Muscat, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Grigio and several others. White wine vines require a warm to very warm climate. Wine-growing regions for Chenin Blanc are: Olifants River, Breedekloof, Paarl and Swartland; Chardonnay is most commonly grown in Worcester and Robertson. Chardonnay is, among other things, an important grape variety for sparkling wine production.

The Colombar grape is found in Olifantsriver, Northern Cape, Robertson and Breedekloof and is also a very old grape variety in South Africa. It used to be used exclusively for brandy production, but since the 1970s it has also been used for wine production again. The Sauvignon Blanc grape is the only grape that prefers a cooler climate. There are different terroirs for different Sauvignon Blanc wine styles in South Africa. The most common growing areas for Sauvignon Blanc are Stellenbosch, Robertson and Durbanville. The Semillion grape is found in Worcester and Paarl, both of which are very sunny terroirs.

South Africa is big, as big as its selection of white wines. Due to the hot, dry climate in the summer months, one might think that only grape varieties that later produce white wines with tropical fruit aromas or fruit salad bouquets thrive here. That is by no means the case. Wine connoisseurs who prefer sparkling, fine white wines will also find what they are looking for in South Africa. The diversity of South Africa's wine-growing regions and the art of blending practised by each winemaker are helpful in this regard. The result is authentic, magnificent wines.

Winegrowers and their white wines

South African winegrowers develop a great passion when it comes to their wines. The great difficulties they had to overcome in 2017 due to the drought speak for themselves. Of course, winegrowers in Europe are also affected by weather conditions and general climate change. Nature is unpredictable and reinvents itself every year. It all depends on how you deal with the problems and make a virtue out of necessity. South African winemakers master this every year. This is also proven by the extremely high proportion of young winemakers and garage winemakers who seem to be springing up everywhere. Despite an “untypical” Sauvignon Blanc climate, the Sauvignon Blancs in the Cape region achieve a quality that would have been unimaginable years ago. Chenin Blanc, also known as Steen, is South Africa's most widely grown white wine grape. It is versatile, robust, and fascinating. Its flavor potential is enormous and seems to be experiencing a kind of renaissance. Unlike Sauvignon Blanc, the Chardonnay grape does not have high climatic demands. The days of heavy, powerful oak barrel aging are also over. Instead, many Chardonnays now mature in barrels for only a few days or hours. Some are produced without any contact with wood (only in steel tanks). This calls for experimentation on the part of the winemaker. And that's what the young wild ones can do. Uninhibited and fresh!

Sauvignon Blanc – Green asparagus or papaya

Numerous awards and prizes won at international wine shows have brought South African Sauvignon Blanc to the attention of the world, making it something of an insider tip. Unfortunately, this has also been reflected in a rise in prices in recent years. There are two categories of Sauvignon Blanc – the fresh, lively one: grass, asparagus, paprika, citrus notes, green figs, flavors of the cooler wine regions. These include, for example, the western coastal region with Durbanville and Constantia. But also the southern Cape coast with Walker Bay, Cape Agulhas, and Elgin. As the vineyards here are close to the coast, there is always a cool breeze. This helps the vines to cool down after a hot summer's day and prevents the grapes from ripening too quickly. This avoids an excessively high sugar content. The second category is the warm wine region of Sauvignon Blanc. This is where the typical tropical fruit aromas, melon, and apple notes develop. Wood aging, although only used for a few Sauvignon Blancs, brings out additional vanilla tones and toasted aromas and ensures a long finish. Stellenbosch and Robertson offer optimal conditions for Sauvignon Blancs with tropical fruit aromas.

Chenin Blanc, the prodigy

South Africa's most widely grown grape is Chenin Blanc. It can be used for many different styles of wine, from semi-dry to dry, for sparkling wine production or even for sweet wines. In South Africa, there are many winegrowers who cultivate bush vines. The Chenin Blanc grapes are still harvested by hand. The aroma and taste are of excellent quality, but the harvest yield is usually low. Typical flavor components of a Chenin Blanc are: fruit salad notes, pineapple, peach, stewed apples, guava, and marzipan. When stored for some time, honey notes and toasted almond aromas may appear. Wood barrel aging brings vanilla notes and roasted aromas into play.

Chardonnay “naked” versus wood contact

Who isn't familiar with Chardonnay aged in wooden barrels? Full-bodied, long-lasting finish with notes of citrus fruits, orange peel, and mineral chalk. With long wood contact, generous nuances of butterscotch, vanilla, and toasted bread. Chardonnays in the “matured” category are good accompaniments to dishes with richer ingredients—smoked salmon, vegetable lasagna with cream sauce, or duck with lemon sauce. South African curries are also perfect accompaniments, but should not be too spicy. Otherwise, the Chardonnay will not be able to balance the spiciness of the dish and an imbalance will result. Currently in vogue are “naked” Chardonnays – those without wood contact! A lively, elegant wine that can also be served with lighter dishes or on its own. A real treat. There are plenty of serving suggestions, such as cheese, egg dishes, sushi, asparagus, and artichokes. Light meat dishes and light pasta dishes complement a fresh, mineral Chardonnay.