Impressions from overseas

Here I present you some impressions and information about Southafrican wine and wine tasting. Imagine you taste and drink wine in a breathtaking landscape:

Most of the wineries are well restored old cape-houses in beautiful gardens:

And the wine is delicious. They make traditionally red ones as the well-known Cabernet Sauvignon and the indigenious Pinotage but also phantastic Merlot, Shiraz and several Cuvees. Furthermore they produce fresh white wines, the Sauvignon Blanc, the Chenin Blanc and the Chardonnay are well-known. New is a white Cabernet Sauvignon, which is very special for only a few wineries. Depending on the distance to the sea the climate is very different. There is a difference of temperature up to 10 degrees between the seaside and 40 kilometres inside the country. Thus the wines are very different in their specific taste. The harvest starts very early comparing to Europe because of the high temperatures during the whole year. Not only nearly all red wines but some of the white ones too (especially some Chardonnay) stay in oak-barrels for a (short) time.
Winetasting is very common in the Western Cape region. You pay a small amount and then you may taste 3 - 6 wines. They offer special tasting too as for example the tasting of wine and chocolate, very well composed!

Winegrowing started very early in this region. In the 17th century the Dutch "Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie" established a settlement for supplying their merchant ships on their way to India. Because of the warm climate they tried to grow wine but have not been very successful at the beginning. Some years later 150 French Huguenots arrived at the Cape and they knew well how to do it in the right way.
In the 20th century the market for Southafrican wines has been very restricted for a long period. Because of the trade restrictions of Europe and the United States as consequences of the apartheid  export has not been possible. Since the end of the apartheid in the nineties winegrowing is increasing and more and more Southafrican wines have been exported in the whole world.