Wine industry: challenges and triumphs in a changing climate

South African vineyards stretch for some 800 kilometers in the Cape region, from the mountains and slopes of the coastal regions to the open plains of the Klein Karoo. Most of the vines are planted in the Western Cape, close to the coast, and are influenced by one of the two oceans, the Atlantic to the west and the Indian to the east. While it can be said that the climate has a Mediterranean profile, we would overlook the complex vagaries of nature that make South Africa the country with the most beautiful vineyards and an irregular topography that favors the nuances of the different regions. The Benguela Current, which carries with it the Antarctic cold, moderates the temperatures of the west African coast, which in summer easily exceed 30 degrees Celsius. The current is favored by the well-known Cape Doctor, a strong southeasterly wind that tempers the vineyard by dragging the cold air inland. The topographical complexity of the country is evident in the mountain ranges present in all the wine-growing regions, which offer an almost infinite variety of altitudes and soil types. It is, undoubtedly, a new world wine country with countless stores selling the finest varieties. South Africa is an example and a universal rarity since the wine sector doesn’t receive any state aid. It has achieved a lot in a short time and the growth potential is impressive.

Main grape varieties

The Western Cape region offers a wide range of conditions conducive to the cultivation of numerous grape varieties. The South African wine industry was once dominated by white grape varieties, but new plantings of red grape varieties have changed this situation. The main red varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Pinotage, Merlot, Cabernet Ruby, Cinsault, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. And the main white grape varieties are Chenin blanc, Colombard, Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay, Muscat d'Alexandrie and Sémillon.

A review of the history

South African wines have been inextricably linked to its history. The colonies, the French-British war, the Boer War and Apartheid. The first wine law dates back to 1973 when wine regions were delimited and concentrated in a few specific areas. Gradually it was transformed and modernized. A key moment for South African wine was Nelson Mandela's release from prison in 1990, his coming to power in 1994 with the end of Apartheid and the opening of international markets that had been vetoed until then. Since then, South African wines can be found in the wine racks of great restaurants and wine shops around the world. White wines began to be bottled with screw caps, as the New Zealanders did, in 2002. The last 10 years have seen a dramatic change in the maturity of wineries. Winemakers have traveled the world and drink wines from other countries, they know what is made outside South Africa and their cellars are filled with bottles of the highest quality wines from different wine regions.

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