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MAY 2013 -
SEXY X2
MAGAZINE -
43
Chenin Blanc
18%
Cabernet Sauvignon
12%
Colombard
11%
Shiraz
9.8%
vineyards. Addition-
ally, work has been
undertaken in clonal
research to identify
which grape varieties
grow best in which
climate and wine
region.
Winemaking and wines
Since the end of the 20th century, more
South African winemakers have been
focused on improving the quality of red
wines.
The winemaking traditions of South
Africa often represent a hybridization
of Old World wine making and the new.
Since the end of Apartheid, many produc-
ers have been working on producing more
“international” styles of wine that can be
successful on the world market. Fly-
ing winemakers from France, Spain and
California have brought new techniques
and styles to South Africa. In the 1980s,
the use of oak barrels for fermentation
and ageing became popular. The use of
capitalization is illegal in South Africa
as the country’s warm climate makes at-
taining sufficient sugar and alcohol levels
for wine production non-problematic.
Winemakers more often have problems
with low acidity levels which require
supplementation with additional acids like
tartaric acid.
Today the focus in the South African wine
industry has been on increasing the qual-
ity of wine production-particularly with
the more exportable and fashionable red
grape varieties. Traditionally South Afri-
can red wines had a reputation for being
coarse in texture with rustic flavors. The
Afrikaans word dikvoet used to describe
these wines meant literally “thick foot”.
In the vineyards, growers focused yield
control for better ripeness while winemak-
ers used modern techniques to create
softer, fleshier wines. Temperature
control fermentation as well
as controlled malolactic fer-
mentation were more
widely used as well
as less dependency
on filtration as
a means of stabi-
lization.
Grape varieties
Sauvignon Blanc
9%
Chardonnay
8%
Pinotage
6.5%
Merlot
6%