Showing posts with label Western Cape wine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Western Cape wine. Show all posts
Monday, October 11, 2010
A Brief Wine History
The drinking of wine goes back longer than written history. It emerges with civilisation itself from the East.
It was in fact the Romans who brought the first vines to France in about 500BC, and planted in Bordeaux in approximately 50AD. There has been much speculation about the quality of Roman wine which is well documented. It apparently had extraordinary powers of keeping, which suggested that even then it was good. The great vintages were discussed and drunk for longer than seems possible. There are records of a wine made in 121BC being drunk when it was 125 years old.
The most significant move in history was when the Romans took their wines to Gaul. By the time they had withdrawn in the fifth century from what is now France, they had laid the foundations for almost all the greatest vineyards of the modern world. Unlike the Greeks, the Romans were not limited to earthenware and amphora's to store their wines in, they had barrels and bottles not dissimilar to modern containers.
Shakespeare was also a great lover of wine and left some of the most descriptive tasting notes of the 17th century.
Late in the 17th century the cork was discovered. Soon after, it became clear that wine kept in a tightly corked bottle lasted much longer than wine kept in a barrel as it had been, which was likely to go off at any time after the barrel was broached. It was also discovered that wines kept in different sized bottles also aged in a different way, acquiring what is known as bouquet.
The wine trade was booming and Bordeaux wines were being exported all over the world. In fact ships were measured by the number of tonnes of wine they could carry.
In 1855 Napoleon III started the "Fine Wine Index" when he classified a number of wine producing chateaux as belonging to a certain "Growth", numbered 1-5 (1 being the best). He based his decisions on the quality and prices realized by each of the Chateau's wines, over the previous 100 years or so. This 1855 classification has remained the same with just one exception. In 1973 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild was promoted from a second growth to a first growth wine, following vigorous lobbying by the Rothschild family itself. Besides this, nothing has been changed.
In fact, the laws Napoleon put in place in 1855 are vigorously upheld today and are controlled by the Institut d'Origine, and enforced by EC directives.
It was in fact the Romans who brought the first vines to France in about 500BC, and planted in Bordeaux in approximately 50AD. There has been much speculation about the quality of Roman wine which is well documented. It apparently had extraordinary powers of keeping, which suggested that even then it was good. The great vintages were discussed and drunk for longer than seems possible. There are records of a wine made in 121BC being drunk when it was 125 years old.
The most significant move in history was when the Romans took their wines to Gaul. By the time they had withdrawn in the fifth century from what is now France, they had laid the foundations for almost all the greatest vineyards of the modern world. Unlike the Greeks, the Romans were not limited to earthenware and amphora's to store their wines in, they had barrels and bottles not dissimilar to modern containers.
Shakespeare was also a great lover of wine and left some of the most descriptive tasting notes of the 17th century.
Late in the 17th century the cork was discovered. Soon after, it became clear that wine kept in a tightly corked bottle lasted much longer than wine kept in a barrel as it had been, which was likely to go off at any time after the barrel was broached. It was also discovered that wines kept in different sized bottles also aged in a different way, acquiring what is known as bouquet.
The wine trade was booming and Bordeaux wines were being exported all over the world. In fact ships were measured by the number of tonnes of wine they could carry.
In 1855 Napoleon III started the "Fine Wine Index" when he classified a number of wine producing chateaux as belonging to a certain "Growth", numbered 1-5 (1 being the best). He based his decisions on the quality and prices realized by each of the Chateau's wines, over the previous 100 years or so. This 1855 classification has remained the same with just one exception. In 1973 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild was promoted from a second growth to a first growth wine, following vigorous lobbying by the Rothschild family itself. Besides this, nothing has been changed.
In fact, the laws Napoleon put in place in 1855 are vigorously upheld today and are controlled by the Institut d'Origine, and enforced by EC directives.
Labels: civilisation, drunk, France, Napoleon, Romans, vineyard, Western Cape wine
Friday, October 8, 2010
Western Cape wine
Western Cape is a Geographical Unit within the Wine of Origin classification system of South African wine. Corresponding to the province of Western Cape it includes most of the vineyards in South Africa.
The wines of the Western Cape range from sturdy Rhone-style red wines to aromatic Sauvignon Blancs in vineyards cooled by breezes off the Atlantic.
On 2 February 1659 the founder of Cape Town, Jan van Riebeeck, produced the first wine recorded in South Africa.[1] In 1685, the Constantia estate was established in a valley facing False Bay by the Governor of the Cape, Simon van der Stel. His 'Vin de Constance' soon acquired a good reputation. But it was Hendrik Cloete, who bought the homestead in 1778,[2] who really made the name of Constantia famous, with an unfortified wine made from a blend of mostly Muscat de Frontignan (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains), Pontac, red and white Muscadel (probably clones of Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains??) and a little Chenin Blanc. It became a favourite tipple of European kings and emperors, from Frederick the Great to Napoleon. But the vineyards were decimated by phylloxera, the Cloete family were bankrupted, and Groot Constantia was sold to the government as an experimental station. In 1980 Duggie Jooste bought Klein Constantia, redeveloped it, and is now selling a new version of Vin de Constance made from Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains.[3]
The Franschhoek Valley was settled over 300-years ago by the French Huguenots.
A vineyard in Stellenbosch
The first official wine route was opened in Stellenbosch in 1971.
In 1993, Western Cape was designated as a Geographical Unit under the Wine of Origin scheme.
Bot River (Botrivier)
Main article: Bot River wine
There are two wineries on the banks of the 'butter' river, Goedvertrouw and Beaumont Wines.
Cape Agulhas
Main article: Cape Agulhas wine
The southern tip of Africa, where the Atlantic meets the Indian Ocean, offers a unique terroir where Sauvignon Blanc thrives, particularly in the ward of Elim.
Overberg
Main article: Overberg wine
This district south of Paarl is cooled by Atlantic breezes and is producing some exciting cool-climate Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. It includes the Elgin and Klein River wards.
Plettenberg Bay
Main article: Plettenberg Bay wine
Newly declared WO that is home to Bramon Estate, who are best known for a sparkling Sauvignon Blanc.
Walker Bay
Main article: Walker Bay wine
West of Cape Agulhas, this coastal district produces some high quality wines from the Burgundy varieties. Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Sunday's Glen and Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley were recently declared as wards.
Labels: Western Cape wine
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