The Cape Winelands:
When one reflects on the splendours of the Cape - lush green valleys,
rugged mountains, azure seas and sky - then the Cape’s winelands are
usually top of the list. Visitors pour into the Cape to experience our
viticulture, restored Cape Dutch farmsteads with their distinctive
gables and thatched roofs, and the mountains that form the dramatic
backdrop to all of this. The Cape winelands are some of the most scenic
in the world and wine tourism is one of South Africa’s fastest growing
industries. South Africa also has the largest number of Fairtrade
certified wineries in the world and the biggest single Fairtrade
accredited project worldwide was recently launched at Du Toitskloof
Cellar in Rawsonville in the Western Cape. |
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Photographs of Cape Winelands Courtesy of and © South African Tourism |
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Traditionally, when
referring to the Cape winelands, one called to mind the cellars around
Stellenbosch, Paarl, Wellington and Franschhoek. However, South African
wine has undergone a whole new momentum. An emerging ethos has taken the
local wine industry into the global arena. South African wine has come
of age and is now competing on the world wine stage. A whole new
generation of winemakers has appeared and there has been a shift from
grape farming to wine growing.
One would thus be remiss if one did not include the many wine routes of
the Cape, some of which are an easy drive from Cape Town, such as the
Constantia, Durbanville, Darling and Walker Bay winelands. Most of South
Africa’s vineyards are found in the Western Cape near the coast. The
weather is perfect for growing grapes - rainfall measures up to 40
inches a year, the mild Mediterranean weather provides the perfect
climate and the ground is mainly sandy and rough.
The Cape’s winelands stretch from the coast to the plains of the Little
Karoo, where grapes are also grown in the riverine valleys. There are
currently some 560 wineries and 4 400 primary producers of vineyards in
the Cape, divided by the Wine of Origin Scheme ... |
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