South Africa

Question 1

South Africa wine types:

Answer 1

Inexpensive, carbonated, often sweet wines:

• Primarily consumed domestically and exported to sub-Saharan Africa (Angola, Mozambique, Nigeria)
• Style: Simple, fruity, off-dry to sweet
• Quality: Acceptable to good
• Varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat, Pinotage
• Important product mainly for domestic and African markets

Cap Classique (Traditional Method Sparkling Wine):

• Rebranded from Méthode Cap Classique
• Association founded in 1992
• Members responsible for over 90% of bottle-fermented sparkling wine
• Includes top 7 producers
• Second fermentation in the same bottle
• Minimum 3 bars of pressure post-disgorgement
• Minimum 12 months on lees
• Predominantly
  Chardonnay
  Pinot Noir
  Chenin Blanc
  Pinotage

Style of Cap Classique:

• Flavor profile: Ripe apple, citrus fruit
• Autolytic flavors (varying levels)
• Medium(+) acidity, medium alcohol

Price and Quality:

• Price: Mid- to premium-priced
• Quality: Good to very good

Growing market:

• Cap Classique is rapidly growing in popularity

Question 2

South Africa: factors affecting temperature

Answer 2

Regions:

• Principal areas: Robertson, Stellenbosch, Paarl, Darling, Tulbagh
• Robertson & Bonnievale (Breede River Valley):
  • Narrow valleys = slower warming in the morning (shade from mountains)
  • Cooling breezes from Cape Agulhas (Breede River) drop afternoon temperatures
  • Big diurnal shift = preserves acidity

Question 3

South Africa: Factors affecting nutri and water availability (Soils)

Answer 3

Regions for Traditional Method Sparkling Wine:

• Principal areas: Robertson, Stellenbosch, Paarl, Darling, Tulbagh
• Robertson & Bonnievale (Breede River Valley):
  • Significant limestone soils, believed to produce higher quality wine
• Elsewhere:
  • Vines grown on shale, clay, and decomposed granite
  • Producers often source fruit from multiple regions for complexity and fruit availability

Question 4

South Africa:
Considerations in planting materials capnclassique

Answer 4

range of varieties can be used in Cap Classique

but Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Chenin Blanc and Pinotage = 95% of used

Question 5

South Africa: Considerations in canopy management, harvest

Answer 5

• Hang time: Wait approximately 90 days after flowering before picking for Cap Classique
• Achieved by adapting viticultural practices:
  • Leave more growth on vines for extra shading
  • Slows ripening and retains acidity
• Picking parameters:
  • Potential alcohol: 9.5–11% ABV
  • Final wine target: around 12% ABV
• Harvest method:
  • Better growers pick by hand into small baskets for whole-bunch pressing (recommended but not required for Cap Classique)

Question 6

South Africa: winemaking

Answer 6

• Inexpensive:
  
  • Typically, fermentation stopped early to retain residual sugar (RS)
  • Carbonated and released for early sale to preserve fruit character
  • Low-cost process = inexpensive wines
• Quality-minded practices:
  • Harvest by hand into small baskets for whole-bunch pressing (recommended, not required)
  • Pressing: whole-bunch press
  • Acidification of musts is common
• Fermentation vessels:
  • Neutral oak (size and age vary)
  • Some ferment a portion in old barrels for texture in premium wines
• Malolactic conversion:
  • Varies by producer (e.g., Villiera does, Graham Beck avoids)
• Blending:
  • Reserve wines (10%): used by premium producers for depth of flavor and consistency
• Rosé:
  • Blending of white and red wines to control tannins and color before second fermentation
  • Less common: maceration of black grape varieties prior to primary fermentation
• Secondary fermentation:
  • Minimum 12 months on lees
  • Many quality producers opt for 15–18 months for non-vintage, and longer for vintage and prestige cuvée wines
  • Process adds to costs and final price.

Question 7

Cap Classique Producers’ Association: growth, share, further development

Answer 7

• on going:Higher quality category in development:
  • Restricts grape varieties
  • Requires whole bunch pressing and longer time on lees
• Growth:
  • Fastest-growing category in South Africa
  • Sales have doubled every 5 years in recent decades
• Market share:
  • Increased from 30% to 40% of all South African sparkling wine production between 2014 and 2018.

Question 8

South Africa Players:

Answer 8

Cap Classique: dominated by seven companies

also being produced in small volumes by other producers.

J. C. Le Roux, 1 of 7 also makes carbonated sparkling wine

Question 9

South Africa export vs domestic:

Answer 9

differs for producers:

Succesful in export: Graham Beck: 50% of its production

Domestic market: arrival of better-quality carbonated wine, especially using SB

2020: 3mln L sparkling exported
peak in 2012: but: then: exchange rates, market fluctuation and Covid 19
Top export markets:
Angola
Sweden
UK

Question 10

South Africa challenges:

Answer 10

top end of the domestic: make Cap Classique attractive to top-quality Champagne drinkers
attract new middle classes who are moving from beer to wine