franschhoek’s wine producing history began with a few simple words jotted down in jan van riebeeck’s journal in february of 1659. on this auspicious day in history, the commander and founder of the initial dutch settlement at the foot of africa that would one day become cape town wrote: “today, praise be to god, wine was pressed for the first time from cape grapes.”
during the 18th and 19th centuries south african wines were among the most coveted and famous in the world. In 1688 land was granted to a group of french huguenot refugees by the dutch government in a valley called olifantshoek (“elephant’s corner”), so named because of the large herds of elephants that populated the area. this fertile piece of land was subsequently renamed franschhoek (“french corner”) and many of the settlers named their farms after the areas in france from which they came. they soon realised that the mild weather of this fertile valley was similar to that of the wine producing regions of france and they set out to recreate the lush vineyards back home. the rest, as they say, is history.
established over 300 years ago, the rich franschhoek wine tradition never the less succeeds in staying ahead of the curve by employing innovative techniques and creating surprising, yet elegant vintages. one of the most telling examples of this innovative spirit of the south african wine industry has to be the pioneering spirit of professor izak perold, who, in 1925, created south africa’s signature grape variety, pinotage. A cross between pinot noir and hermitage, this grape variety typically produces deep red wines with smoky, bramble and earthy flavours, sometimes surprising the palate with subtle notes of bananas and tropical fruit.
the franschhoek valley remains one of the premier destinations in the wine world. crowding around the quaint village of franschhoek, an excess of 40 wine farms (which includes some of south africa’s most respected household names) produce many of the country’s top wines. visitors from all over the world flock to franschhoek hotels and a visit to the western cape region simply wouldn’t be complete without spending some time sampling the fruits of the franschhoek vineyards.
wine routes of the western cape
franschhoek wine and accommodation attracts visitors from around the world and a visit to the lush valley would not be complete without exploring some of the other wine routes nearby. set against the dramatic backdrop of majestic mountains, most of south africa’s vineyards are found near the coast of the western cape. ample rainfall, a mild mediterranean climate and sandy soil types make for the perfect grape growing region and a vibrant viticultural tradition that develops at lightning fast speed. south africa’s wine industry has finally come of age and there has never been a more exciting time to enjoy the splendours the cape vintners have to offer. so after you finish your pampering session at that splendid franschhoek spa, why not pack up the family and head out for an enlightening wine tasting excursion?
The cape winelands, thought by many only to include the cellars around stellenbosch, paarl, wellington and franschhoek, actually stretches all the way from the coast to the plains of the klein karoo, where vineyards are tended in riverine valleys. to date, the cape vineyards include an astonishing 560 wineries and 4 400 primary producers that are sorted into four main regions, namely coastal, breede river valley, klein karoo and olifants river. the following offers a glimpse at the tip of the vast south african wine production iceberg:
the breedekloof wine route winds its way through the breede river valley and is included in route 62 which is marketed as the longest wine route in the world. initially a region that focused on bulk sweet wine production, today the breedekloof vintners have branched out into a varied range of award-winning reds, dry whites and dessert wines. a mere 90 km trip from the mother city, it is within easy reach for franschhoek visitors and makes for a delightful day trip.
further along the way, the worcester winelands lies cradled by the vast hex river mountain range. backed by an incredible 250 years of hard-won winemaking expertise, the vintners of this region produce a range of quality cabernet sauvignon, lively chenin and serious columbar wines that are nationally acclaimed. aside from being an important producer of export quality table grapes, the region also accounts for 27% of all wine produced within south africa. the town of worcester is known as the south african support and skills development centre for the disabled, with the blind being an integral part of the local community. to celebrate this, the worcester winelands association teamed up with consol glass to launch south africa’s very first unique braille wine bottle. a percentage of each bottle sold goes to the institute of the blind and pioneer printers to further their good work.
The roberson wine valley is known locally as the “valley of wine and roses”. roses are susceptible to the same types of plant diseases as vineyards and are planted next to trellised vines in order to give wine growers fair warning of illnesses that may affect their harvest. in addition, the roses are gorgeous and give the vineyards an almost romantic ambiance. situated at the heart of route 62, the robertson region has harsh weather conditions that range from scorching days to freezing nights. combine these extremes with lime-rich soil and exceptional skill at the hands of the local vintners and you have the perfect place to grow good wine. initially only known for dessert wines, the robertson region is now also recognised for chardonnay, sauvignon blancs, cap classiques, as well as a healthy selection of hefty reds.
situated in the midst of what is generally considered a grain growing area, the swartland wine route runs all the way from darling on the west coast, including malmesbury, the riebeek valley and piketberg in its lazy meander towards the oliphants mountain at porterville. fed by the waters of the berg river and sheltered by the imposing mountain ranges that dot the undulating landscape, the swartland vineyards grow mostly under dryland conditions, but often receive some irrigation towards the end of the region’s brutal summers. dryland conditions yield wines of particularly excellent quality and flavour that is often used to provide body and depth in blends.
the swartland region was originally acclaimed for its rounded reds but now also produces top quality whites and fortified wines.
the celebrated paarl vintners range from large international wine companies to small micro-producers but every winery within its borders strives to produce a wide range of quality wines in a variety of styles. whether you are in the mood for dark and broody or fresh and flirty, you are sure to rustle up a wine to suit your taste in the town of paarl. the town has the distinction of being the third oldest settlement in south africa and is also known as the birthplace of the native language of afrikaans. renowned for its robust roodeberg, cabernet sauvignon, port and shiraz vintages, the paarl region also goes by the name of the ‘red route’.
paarl summers are long and hard but the area receives ample rainfall during the wet season and irrigation is only necessary in extreme cases of drought. Grape varieties that flourish here include carbernet sauvignon, pinotage, shiraz, chardonnay and chenin blanc.
