March - Make Wine-
A Guide to South Africa's Winelands
In 1652 the Dutch East India company establishment a refreshment station at the Cape of Good Hope aiming to provide fresh food to the company's fleet on voyages to India and surrounding areas. As a result of this trading station South Africa now boasts a flourishing wine industry and colourful, multi-cultural nation.
The fertile soil and Mediterranean climate of the Western Cape, makes the Cape Winelands one of the most renowned wine producing areas in the world. The Western Cape is also cooler than its position of 34? South of the equator might suggest, making the area ideal for growing a wide range of noble vine varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Pinot Noir. The traditional wine growing areas along the coastal regions are seldom more than 50km from the ocean and are exposed to cool breezes blowing in from the sea.
All the wine grape varietals cultivated in South Africa, belong to the Vitis vinifera species, originally brought from Europe. Unfortunately these European vines were susceptible to phylloxera and as a result many South African viticulturists these days often have to graft their vines onto American rootstock in order to resist the insect.
Although Cape Town and the nearby Boland basin is best-known for it's superb Bordeaux-style red wines, the wine-producing regions of the province extends further north- and eastwards and has established itself as producer of world-class red, white, fortified and sparkling wines from a wide range of varietals.
Constantia
The oldest and one of the most famous wine farms in the area is Groot Constantia, which was granted to governor Simon van der Stel in 1685, by the Dutch East India Company. The estate is located on the Southern Slopes of Table Mountain and is still world-renowned for it's superb wines and breathtaking location. It's beautiful Cape Dutch homestead also forms part of the Iziko South African National Museums. The Constantia region also features such formidable estates as Steenberg well know for it's Reserve Sauvignon Blanc and Semmilon while the nearby Buitenverwachting produces outstanding Chardonnay. Both estates feature award-winning restaurants.
Boland
From Cape Town, the Winelands spread north-east and eastwards to the beautiful Boland basin with Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek and Wellington being the most prominent producers. Some of the oldest wine farms in South Africa are situated in and around this beautiful Cape Dutch village, which at over 300-years old, is the oldest town in the country. Although the area hosts an endless amount of superior wine estates, well-known farms towards the east include the Shiraz and Port producing Alto; the prolific Blaauwklippen estate which produces one of the only Zinfandel's in the region; the red wine producing Delheim; the famous Lanzerac estate and hotel; the prominent Middelvlei; the international award-winning red wine producing Rust en Vrede estate; Vriesenhof with it's outstanding white wines; the exclusive Engelbrecht Els estate and the beautiful Tokara with it's adjoining restaurant managed by famous local chef and saucier Etienne Bonthuys.
Towards the west of the town there's the well-known Beyerskloof, famous for it's award-winning Pinotage; the superior sparkling wine producing House of JC Le Roux, the scenic Meerlust estate with it's legendary Rubicon blend; the family-run Overgaauw; the "Cap Classique" producing Villiera and Zevenwacht estate.
The nearby Franschhoek, which translates as "French corner" also boasts some of the country's oldest estates: The beautiful Boschendal with it's typical Cape Dutch homestead; Cabriere Estate with it's flagship range of Pierre Jourdan "Methode Cape Classique" sparkling wines; Graham Beck with it's signature Brut Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine and Rhona Muscadel; and the beautiful La Motte estate which produces outstanding Shiraz.
Overberg
On the otherside of the Franschhoek and Hottentots Holland mountain ranges, the Overberg region includes quaint villages such as McGregor, Montagu and Robertson - the latter boasts the De Wetshof estate, owned by the prolific Chardonnay producer Danie de Wet, while the nearby Hemel-and-Aarde valley close to Hermanus is home to such spectacular wineries as Hamilton Russel with it's well-known Pinot Noir and the legendary Bouchard Finlayson.
Swartland
North of Cape Town, the predominantly wheat producing Swartland region includes the fructuous Riebeek valley, well-known for it's Shiraz wines and olive farms. This region hosts such prestigious estates as Kloovenburg, Allesverloren and Twee Jonge Gezellen, as well as the larger co-operative wineries such as Riebeek Cellars, Swartland Cellars and Darling Cellars, extending further east, towards the Hexrivier Valley at De Doorns and north towards the Olifants River valley close to Citrusdal and the fruitful Orange River Valley near Upington in the Northern Cape.
About the Author
To plan a hassle free trip to Cape Town, use CityGuideSA - a comprehensive online travel resource with up-to-date information on where to Eat, Stay and Play in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and the Garden Route.
Make Wine and More
All Texas Wines
Texas is very famous for its wineries and vineyards. The Texas wine industry is booming for last few decades. According to Texas wine directories, the...
Click Here to Read More About Wine ...
Make no wine before its time
My Approach to Winemaking
"Make no wine before its time."
C.J.J. Berry's classic First Steps in Winemaking presented 130 winemaking recipes in a uniqu...
Click Here to Read More About Wine ...
Make Wine Items For Viewing
Resveratrol 60 Vcaps
Resveratrol formula is a comprehensive blend of antioxidants. Resveratrol is found in red wine and protects cells against lipid peroxidation and free radicals. Japanese knotweed is a potent source of Resveratrol and has traditionally been used for the heart, liver and blood vessels.
Customer Review: Not working very well
I've been taking these for 90 days, and I've aged 89.5 days since I began. At this rate, if I die at 90, I'll have only lived an extra 255 days. Unacceptable! How am I supposed to live long enough to colonize Mars if this crap isn't even adding a whole year to my life!
On the upside, it works great as a substitute for fairy dust. I got the idea when my closet gnomes tried to rape me because they ran out of whatever they were snorting, and I had to think fast before I got impregnated with a gnarly root tree. (In my butt.)
"Here, take this! It'll get you Righteous!" I screamed in panic as they were gnawing at my chastity belt. And take it they did. Haven't heard a peep out of those little queers in a week.
Bottom Line: Unless you've got a randy bunch of mythical creatures living in your closet or pantry, Reservatrol is completely useless.
Customer Review: Very little resveratrol
NOW Foods - Resveratrol Natural Mega Potency Natural Resveratrol 200 mg 60 Vcaps has much more bang for the buck.
More product information
Everybody Women's Fanta Bootie
Nobody does earthy Euro-style like Everybody! Fanta features a zippered shaft and unique pleating details for sumptuous texture.
More product information
Spiegelau Vino Grande Red Wine, Set of 2
Grapes Wine Kitchen Utensil Tool Set Decor Pitcher 7 Piece
Take yourself away to a charming Tuscany countryside every time you reach for one of your cooking tools. This gorgeous 7 piece grape shaped utensil pitcher is perfect for a country cottage, or for anyone who would love to live in one!
Ceramic, hand painted. Fresh purple grapes and lush green leaves make up the pitcher that holds all of your cooking instruments . The bundle of grapes that is the pitcher measures approx. 7.5"H x 5.75"W x 8.25"L. It also includes the following tools and they measure appprox. 10" each: 1 Wooden Spoon, 1 Fork, 1 Spautula, 1 Meat Tendizer Mallet, 1 wooden Stirring Spoon, 1 Metal Whisk.
Very nicely boxed to make a great gift!
More product information
The Ultimate Wine and Cheese Pairing guide ( PC Windows CD Rom )
Stroll down the Wine aisle with confidence after consulting this in-depth, easy to follow introduction to the fine art of Cheese and Wine pairing. Featuring authoritative listings of the most popular red, white, and desert wines, and a comprehensive pairing guide that takes the guess work out of planning the fare for your next gathering. This is the perfect initiation into the wonderful world of fine dining. From Gouda to Gorgonzola, Cabernet to Chardonnay, this straightforward guide explains them all in enthusiastic, easy-to-understand descriptions and images. From novice to aficionado to the most experienced connoisseur, the ultimate Wine and Cheese Pairing Guide is a superb addition to your food library.
More product information
News about Make Wine
Sweet Potato Mash with Mint
Tue, 10 Mar 2009 23:29:09 -0700
If you've been following our Simply Recipes updates on Twitter then you know that I recently spent a week in the Bahamas with several other food bloggers at the Club Med Food and Wine Festival (more on that soon). As we were being wined and dined, and treated to amazing 6 and 7 course meals every night I kept my eye out for ideas and recipes that might work well for us at home. The first night's dinner was spectacular (you can see a list of menus here on Jaden's site ), and included fres
Finessed and Light: California Pinot Noirs With a Manifesto (New York Times)
Tue, 10 Mar 2009 18:43:44 -0700
A rebellion is brewing in Calfornia, as a small but growing number of wine producers are striving to make lighter, more delicate pinot noirs.
In Search of Authentic Wine
Tue, 10 Mar 2009 18:39:02 -0700
Image by Cooking Up A Story via Flickr I watched a documentary on food last night that changed the way I look at the raw materials of my meals. Politics aside, I think we have a problem right now that will take a long time to sort out. And in the meantime, I’m going to spend more time looking into the providence of the meat, grain and produce I buy. The same can be said about wine. It is rare that I taste a truly flawed wine and when I do it is almost always in the context of a natural
Acai Berry - Acai Berries, Acai Juice, & Vitamins - How They Can Help
Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:51:02 -0700
In their number, value and variety, mega-vitamin Açaí berry juice benefits are really astounding. The original acai juice, Brazilian acai juice from a variety of palm trees in the lush Amazon Rainforests, was used as a successful and versatile healing agent by ancient history’s Brazilian herbalists. For increasing the blood count, enhancing bodily blood circulation, and eliminating jaundice, the Acai root was put to very good use by these ancient herbal healers. Subsequently, many then exi
Wine Information - Wine for beginners
Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:42:37 -0700
Dont make a fool out of yourself. Learn how to apreciate wine. How to drink it, serve it, what to serve with it and more... California, italy, spanish, french, chile wine. We got you covered.
Nibbles: Fish really is good for IQ, any wine boosts breast cancer risk, and student store selling junk food shut down
Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:25:39 -0700
Teen boys who eat fish have higher scores Fifteen-year-old boys in Sweden who ate fish at least once a week had higher IQ scores than those who didn’t eat fish, with a 6 point increase seen among those who ate fish once a week and an almost 11 point rise for those eating fish more than once a week. Verbal intelligence scores were 4 percent higher for boys who ate fish once a week compared to those who ate less, while those who ate fish more than once a week had 9 percent higher scores than
Wine Cooler
Tags: Wine Cellar | Wine Cellars
Labels: Wine Chateau, Wine Chiller
