South Africa Flashcards
(71 cards)
South African wineries are based near the 30° latitude (32° - 35°). What are the key cooling influences on some vineyards?
Benguela: Cooling current near the coast
Cape Doctor: Cooling south easterly winds that cool further inland
Mountains: Altitude & sun shadows
What is used on each bottle of South Africa’s Wine of Origin (W.O.) scheme to identify it as such?
Certified seal
Give the order of hierarchy for South Africa’s Wine of Origin (W.O.) scheme using the terms below:
Wards, Geographical Unit, District, Regions
Geographical Unit
Regions
District
Wards
In South Africa, a winery that grows all of its grapes in a single vineyard in a single ward/district/region & produces and bottles the wine on site, can be labelled as what?
Estate Wine
In general, what is the climate in South Africa?
Mediterranean climate
Which two grape varieties are often blended in South Africa to make a Bordeaux blend?
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Which grape variety grown in South Africa can, in hot climates, give rich, full bodied wines often high in alcohol with black fruit, earthy or meaty characteristics? In cooler climates it is not as full bodied with peppery aromas.
Syrah
Which red grape variety grown in South Africa is only grown in the coolest coastal areas, making premium wines matured in toasty oak barrels?
Pinot Noir
Which South African grape variety was developed in South Africa and hardly grown anywhere else, giving South Africa a point of difference?
Pinotage
A South African “Cape Blend” must contain what?
Pinotage + other international grape varieties.
What is South Africa most planted grape variety?
Chenin Blanc
Which South African grape variety can produce wines from old bush vines which are very full bodied with rich spiced berry fruit? When fermented with heavily toasted staves, it can give flavours of coffee or chocolate.
Pinotage
Which grape variety from South Africa can be made in both sweet and dry styles, with old bush vines creating complex wines with fuller texture and toasty oak flavours from barrel fermentation and maturation?
Chenin Blanc
Which grape variety grown in South Africa often has herbaceous characters with citrus and green fruit?
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc grown in warmer regions in South Africa needs what viticultural practice to ensure the wines have high levels of acidity and citrus green fruit?
Grapes are picked early.
What two Burgundian practices are used in South Africa to help produce exceptional quality Chardonnay from cooler sites?
Barrel fermentation
Lees-stirring
90% of wine from South Africa comes from which Geographical Unit?
Western Cape
In which region is the district of Stellenbosch located?
Coastal Region
What helps keep Stellenbosch cool?
Altitude
Aspect
Cooling winds funnelled by mountains
Summarise Stellenbosch’s climate, grapes, wines.
Mountains (altitude, aspect), Ocean (wind).
Bordeaux style (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot), Cape blend (Pinotage + international)
Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
Which region is located north of Stellenbosch and is more inland, so hotter with cooler night temperatures?
Paarl
What cooling influences does the Paarl district experience?
Mountains (altitude, aspect)
Inland (cool nights)
Summarise the climate and grapes in the Paarl region.
Inland (hotter days, cooler nights), Mountains (altitude, aspect)
Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah
Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay
Which of South Africa’s wards is based around Table Mountain & some of the oldest vineyards in the Cape?
Constantia
