South African Wine

Heritage, Regions and Global Reach

Full of Diversity

Discover the history, landscapes, grape varieties and sustainable winemaking traditions that give South African wines their distinctive character and growing international appeal.

Full of Diversity

South Africa is a medium-sized country that would fit into the USA eight times. It has a diverse population of 58 million people and is affectionately known as the ‘Rainbow Nation’.

Viticulture Region

Wine growing is limited to the south-western region of South Africa, in the Western Cape Province, which is an area the size of Greece.

A World-famous Mountain

The world-famous Table Mountain is at the heart of this region. It is one of the oldest mountains on earth: six times older than the Himalayas, and five times older than the Rockies.

The South African Wine Industry

History

South Africa has been making wine for over 350 years. The first grapes were pressed in 1659. The wines reflect the best of the old and the new, presenting fruit-forward styles with elegance and finesse.

The South African wine industry is one of the most technically advanced in the world of wine. An extremely rigorous Wine of Origin Certification Scheme, introduced in 1973, guarantees that the wine is what it says it is. Each bottle carries a certification seal to guarantee that the claims regarding vintage, variety and origin on the packaging are true.

Regions

There are five officially demarcated production regions – they are based on the massive variations in soil, climate and location between regions.

The regions are (see map above):

Breede River Valley (green)
Coastal (blue)
Klein Karoo (yellow)
Olifants River (red)
Overberg (purple)

Sustainability

Grapes are produced in harmony with nature, which allows vineyards to flourish alongside their natural habitat. The Biodiversity and Wine Initiative is a unique partnership between conservation bodies and the wine industry.

A commitment to environmentally sustainable wine production and wines is certified by Sustainable Wine South Africa, part of the Wine and Spirit Board. South Africa has more certified Fair Trade wines than any other country.

Land and Climate

South African wines have a purity and intensity in flavour that comes from growing vines in harmony with the environment.

The Land

The Cape mountain slopes and valleys form the ideal habitat for wine grapes.
South Africa has the oldest viticulture soils in the world.
The Cape Winelands area is made up of mountain ranges and valleys – each creating wine regions with individual characteristics.

The Cape Winelands Climate

A Mediterranean climate with sun-drenched summers and mild, wet winters contribute to ideal cultivating conditions.
Surrounded by two oceans – the Atlantic and Indian – that generate winds which cool the vineyards during hot summer days. This slows the ripening process and intensifies flavours.
Made up of mountain ranges and valleys, creating wine regions with unique microclimates.

Cape Floral Kingdom
A World Heritage Site

Over 95% of the wine is produced in the Cape Floral Kingdom–with over 10 000 plant species–more than the entire Northern Hemisphere.
This Kingdom has been created by a diversity of soils (produced from granite, sandstone and shale), climates and geography, which in turn has created a treasure trove of winemaking possibilities.
As a result, South African wines have a huge array of flavour and aroma profiles, which lead to wines with intriguing character and drinkability.

Wine Production in South Africa

93 000 wine-grape hectares cultivated, 960 million litres of wine produced per year.
2 873 grape farmers, 542 wine cellars, 300 000 people supported by the wine industry.
Ninth-largest area under vineyards in the world and ninth-largest producer of wine in the world.
South Africa produces approximately 4% of the world’s wine.
South Africa has its own unique grape variety – Pinotage – a cross between Pinot Noir and Hermitage (Cinsaut).

Source: WOSA, 2025