South Africa’s official 94 545 hectares under vine are, in the main, concentrated in the Western Cape; just eight varieties cover 80% of that area. These figures might suggest a lack of diversity in the wines, but do not take into account the many different aspects, altitudes, soils and macroclimates; each ensures wines capable of distinctive character.
It is with the purpose of expressing a sense of place in their wines and building an individual identity for the Cape’s regions, that eleven producers* have come together under the Site Specific Wines’ banner for Cape Wine. Some produce Estate wines, others vinify fruit brought in from selected sites; all declare their Wine of Origin at the most specific level, whether a Ward or single vineyard. Although as a group, they are promoting South Africa, their message is diversity of the Cape winelands.
I asked a few of them about their sites, the varieties grown, their approach in vineyard and cellar and why site specific wines are important for South Africa.
Chardonnay is a focus for Clayton Reabow on the Franschhoek farm, Môreson, where 14 different clones make up 21 separate parcels. ‘Earlier ripening clones for Méthode Cap Classique need lighter, sandier soils, while the more structured soils are reserved for later ripening still wine clones,’ Reabow explains. All are kept separate in the cellar but overall, Reabow finds the wines taut, lean and linear with lemon and lime notes typical of Franschhoek.
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