Speaking at the annual VinPro day in Cape Town yesterday (17 January), Smuts told around 900 representatives of the South African industry that “14% of our bulk white wine sells for under R4.50, while water sells between R5-R6.”

The 4% increase in value to R9.06 billion reflects the positive sentiments towards South African wine in international markets, despite the 6% decrease in volume to 420.2 million liters of wine sold internationally.

Wine or water? This is the choice that many of the world’s winemakers are currently facing as our most well-loved wine regions across the globe shrivel with heat and drought.

It essentially refers to the fact that South Africa’s wine exports grew by 4% year-on-year in 2018, measured in value terms.  But the drought did have an impact when one looks at the volume of agricultural produce in the Western Cape. The uptick in global wine prices, as well as the slightly weaker domestic currency have somewhat countered the decline in volumes.

As the Bible tells it, Noah pioneered winemaking when his ark landed on Mount Ararat, in the far east of modern-day Turkey. After the deluge was over, he is said to have planted a vineyard.

I had feared that South Africa’s agricultural exports for 2018 would take a big knock because of the decline in the Western Cape’s agricultural production. But the statement released by Wines of South Africa (WOSA), a representative body of the country’s wine producers, late in January 2019 was encouraging.

The wine industry is fortunate in that it cultivates a crop that’s largely adapted to dry conditions, with drier years often being an indicator of quality vintages. But even a vineyard’s natural resilience can be pushed to the limit and beyond by consecutive years of drought.

Wine harvest is a tricky time, but also a beautiful one. For a winemaker knowing when to harvest is a matter of taste, skill and awareness. A winemaker who notices more bird activity in the vineyard, for example, has just received an alert from Mother Nature that the grapes are ripe — the birds, raccoons and bears are always first in line for sweet fruit.

Harvest time marks a special period in the Cape winelands. Between January and March each year, the grapes ripen and are harvested to start the magical process of winemaking. The Paarl Harvest Celebration creates a unique opportunity for wine enthusiasts to experience the journey from the vineyards to the bottle.

outh Africa’s wine industry is centered around Cape Town. But pioneers far to the northeast are forging a new frontier in unlikely surroundings as changing weather patterns test long-held conventions.

Nederburg has been included in the highly-anticipated top 50 list of ‘The World’s Most Admired Wine Brands’ by UK-based publication, Drinks International, for a fourth consecutive year in 2019.

South Africans drink‚ get behind the wheel and cause thousands of deaths and injuries a year‚ said the BBC. The World Health Organisation (WHO) said the country tops the list of the continent’s biggest boozers.

Global wine output rose to near-record highs in 2018 after a sharp rebound from a poor harvest the previous year, though consumption stopped growing, the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) said on Thursday.

The latest data from the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) shows that South Africa has slipped down the rankings of the world’s biggest wine producers, as a three-year drought in hit output.

South Africa's champion for Sauvignon Blanc, one of the country's most widely planted wine grape varieties, has undergone a transformation that brings momentum to its international success.

The South African wine industry has entered a new phase of repositioning, consolidation and reinvestment. Climate change, shifts in production and demand and financial pressures have led to the industry becoming smaller and required producers and wineries to rethink the way they do business.

South African deciduous fruit (apples, pears and table grapes) production and exports continues to grow mainly due to new orchards coming into full production, and some wine grape areas being diverted to table grapes. This has cushioned the impact of the recent drought conditions.

Winter is coming. If you want to fight off the cold, here are twelve of the best red wines from South Africa’s top wine estates.
Allée Bleue Blue Owl Merlot

The French government recently announced an ambitious research programme as part of its plan to fight for the survival of its declining vineyards. Here's a look at the reason behind the project. For any wine fans out there, it may come as a surprise that something so synonymous with France is battling to survive.

The story of South African wine starts in 1655 with a few scraggly vines of muscadel planted in the shadow of Table Mountain.