1. Mediterranean climate
Stellenbosch benefits from a Mediterranean climate, characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. This climate is ideal for grape cultivation as it provides the perfect balance of sunlight, warmth, and rainfall throughout the growing season. The long, sunny days allow the grapes to ripen fully, while the cool nights help to retain acidity and develop complex flavors.
2. Cooling ocean influence
Situated near the coast, Stellenbosch enjoys the cooling influence of the Atlantic Ocean. The ocean breeze moderates the temperature, preventing excessive heat accumulation during the day. This cooling effect is particularly important for grape varietals like Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah, which thrive in slightly cooler climates.
3. Altitude and slopes
Stellenbosch is blessed with diverse terroir, including varying altitudes and slopes. The vineyards are often planted on slopes, which provide excellent drainage and ensure good air circulation. The altitude ranges from 100 to 500 meters above sea level, allowing for a range of microclimates within the region. This diversity adds complexity to the wines and allows for the cultivation of different grape varietals.
4. Well-drained soils
The soils in Stellenbosch are predominantly sandy and well-drained, which is essential for grapevines. Well-drained soils prevent waterlogging and ensure that the vines' roots have access to the right amount of water and nutrients. The different soil types, including granite, sandstone, and shale, contribute to the unique characteristics of the wines produced in Stellenbosch.
The Western Cape's wine regions stretch 300 kilometers (185 miles) from Cape Town to the mouth of the Olifants River in the north, and 360km (220 miles) to Mossel Bay in the east. Areas under vine are rarely more than 160km (100 miles) from the coast. Further inland, the influence of the semi-arid Great Karoo Desert takes over. The climate can be cool and rainy (as in Cape Point and Walker Bay) but is more often than not Mediterranean in nature.
In 2023, world wine production is expected to be the smallest in the last 60 years
Grape varieties and wine style
A wide variety of wines are produced here. Wines from the Shiraz and Pinotage grape varieties can be fresh and juicy or full-bodied and gutsy. The Western Cape's elegant, age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon wines and Bordeaux Blends were at the vanguard as exports recommenced in the mid-1990s.
Burgundy-style Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Walker Bay are gaining global acclaim while cool-climate style Sauvignon Blanc from Darling and Overberg is rivaling that made in any other New World country.
Terroir and growing conditions
The Western Cape is littered with spectacular mountain ranges that form the Cape Fold belt. These are extremely important for viticulture across the whole region, contributing soils and mesoclimates ideal for the production of premium wines.
Of particular importance are the Boland Mountains, which form the eastern border of the Coastal Region, and the Langeberg range, which separates the Breede River Valley from the Klein Karoo semi-desert. The Hottentot Hollands and the Riversonderend mountains around Elgin and Overberg are also very influential on the wines produced in those regions.
The Cederberg Mountains in the north are home to some of South Africa's highest-altitude vineyards. The dominant soil types in the Western Cape are granite, Malmesbury shale, and Table Mountain sandstone. Alluvium and loam soils can be found along the beds of the Breede River, the Berg River, and the Olifants River in the north.
The surrounding oceans play a big part in the climate of the Western Cape. The area between Cape Point and Cape Agulhas is where the Antarctic Benguela Current of the Atlantic meets the warmer Agulhas Current of the Indian Ocean.
The prevailing winds that blow in from the southeast – collectively known as the 'Cape Doctor' – are cooled by these currents, bringing refreshment to vineyards across the Cape. Westerly winds that affect the more northern areas of the Cape are also cooled by the Benguela Current, which runs all the way up the west coast of South Africa.
History of wine production in the Western Cape
The first vineyards were planted in the Western Cape when South Africa's very first European settlers arrived in the 17th Century. The second Governor of the Cape, Simon van der Stel, is widely credited with bringing winemaking to the region in the 1600s and setting up a wine estate in Constantia. The Stellenbosch region is named after him.
However, the wine industry in the wider Western Cape owes more to the Huguenots, Protestants who fled religious persecution in Catholic France in the late 17th Century and arrived in South Africa with vines from their homeland.
Phylloxera devastated many Cape vineyards in the late 19th Century, leading to many vineyards being planted with high-yielding grape varieties such as Cinsaut. Then depressed prices in the early 20th Century prompted the consolidation of hard-pressed wine farms and the formation of the KWV co-operative, which rose in prominence until it became the de facto policy maker for the entire South African wine industry.
Brandy and fortified wine which could be sold cheaply to the domestic market began to dominate production volumes, with a move back towards still and (to a smaller extent) sparkling wine only truly picking up pace with the end of apartheid.
