Mount Rozier Vineyards
The historic Mount Rozier Estate was established in 1896 by Annie Rozier, a local flower merchant. Annie used to grow her flowers on he hills surrounding the beautiful homestead. In time, these hills have been planted with vineyards which now produce some of the very best wines in the Western Cape.
Arabella Wines
The first de Wet, one Jacobus, arrived in South Africa in 1693 as an official of the Dutch East India Company. He was much favoured by Governor Simon van der Stel. There were even rumours that he was van der Stel’s illegitimate son, and in 1697 he was appointed cellar master of The Dutch East India Company. Thus was precipitated the de Wet family’s association with the fruit of the vine. It is somewhat of a mystery how Jacobus, being a...
Enon Wines
Paul and Dan de Wet, the owners of Zandvliet give expert guidance to their talented band of winegrowers, Dan using bio-technology, ensuring optimally harvested grapes for Johan van Wyk and his team in our cellar, while Paul looks at the overall wine styles and marketing.
Leatherwood Wines
“Leatherwood wines celebrate not only a marriage between two continents, but also between two ancestral farms united by their passion for horses and wine.”
Prospect Wines
Prospect Farm has been in ownership of the de Wet family since 1870. Today it is owned and managed by the fifth generation de Wet brothers.
History of South African Wine
At the southern tip of Africa, where two mighty oceans meet in the shadow of landmark Table Mountain, lies the fairest Cape in the world. Known locally as the Mother City, Cape Town is the gateway to the South African winelands and one of the great wine capitals of the world. Here the cultures of Africa, Europe and the East have met and mingled for over 350 years, shaping a city both ancient and modern, rich in colorful history and culturally diverse.
Read moreSouth African Viticulture
In South Africa, viticulture mainly takes place at a latitude of 34° south in an area with a mild Mediterranean climate. The Western Cape is cooler than its position might suggest, with conditions that are ideal for a wide range of noble vine varieties. The traditional wine growing areas along the coastal zone are seldom more than 50 km from the ocean and experience beneficial breezes blowing in from the sea.
Read moreSouth African Wine Industry
Currently 110,200 hectares of vines producing wine grapes are under cultivation in South Africa over an area some 800 kilometres in length. However, of these 11,595 hectares are under sultanas, used only for distilling wine for brandy. White varietals constitute 55% of the plantings for wine, with Chenin Blanc plantings comprising 20% of the total. Red varietals account for 45% of the national vineyard. The most widely planted red varietal is Cabernet Sauvignon, accounting for 15% of the total. Shiraz now accounts for 9%, while Pinotage, which is indigenous to South Africa, and Merlot each represent 7%.
Read moreSouth African Growing Areas
In 1973, with the introduction of the Wine of Origin System, South Africa’s winelands were divided into a series of official regions, districts, wards and estates (in decreasing order of size, depending on the subdivision structure). South Africa’s vineyards are mostly situated in the Western Cape near the coast, but wine is also produced in the drier northern and eastern regions, namely Little Karoo, the Olifants River Valley and the lower Orange River. There are considerable differences in climate between these regions, which determine the viticultural practices and wine styles of each region.
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