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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