©2006, The Birmingham Post
South Africa has a proud and long wine tradition, dating back as far as the mid-17th century, when the Cape was developed by the Dutch East India Company as a refreshment post for its merchant fleet. Over the next 350 years, winemaking underwent a chequered past, with South Africa emerging post-apartheid to produce high-volume bulk wine, ideally suited for the UK supermarket.
Yet the period of isolation had taken its toll. It missed out on the technological revolution in the 1980s, and the change in consumer taste for clean, easy-drinking, fruit-driven styles. Moreover, many vineyards were encountering viral infections, with the situation compounded by a chronic shortage of healthy rootstock supplied by its commercial nurseries.
Not openly discussed, the leaf-roll virus inhibits the crop from fully ripening, resulting in wines showing unacceptable levels of green acidity and bitter tannins. Matters were exacerbated by poor winemaking practices passed on from generation to generation, unaltered by outside influences.
Traditionally, wine production has been focussed on the Cape Province in the south-west. Its Mediterranean climate is ideally suited for black grapes yet, paradoxically, as recently as 1990, 85% of all production was white. Changing the rootstock is a long-term project but, significantly, that figure has now reduced to two-thirds, although there is still some way to go.
The South African scene has been dominated by two varietals, one white and the other red, Originating from the Loire Valley, the former is Chenin Blanc, locally referred to as Steen, still accounting for around 20% of the total vineyard area. Its use is widespread, from dry table wine to brandy, and it's generally cheap and cheerful. A good example is the Wine Society's Chenin Blanc 2005 (£4.25) which is fresh and clean, with quince-pear flavours.
There are more sophisticated versions, like Rijk's Barrel-Fermented Chenin 2003 (Wine Society £8.95). Initially pungent, the fruit develops cream and light toast, making an ideal food match.
The problem with Chenin is that it lacks both a distinctive style and public recognition. The grape simply doesn't have the profile of a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc and hence winemakers have increasingly turned to more popular varieties.
Initially, Chardonnay found favour, but many examples were crude and clumsy, displaying a heavy-handed tendency to over-oak. Today, the better producers show admirable restraint, such as the Warwick Chardonnay (Wine Society £8.50), spending as little as 4 months in oak. This gentle treatment has produced a balanced wine with buttery citrus flavours, yet with weight and richness.
Nonetheless, it is Sauvignon Blanc that is now emerging as the Cape's star performer, even taking on the might of New Zealand. Here, the variety has taken on a style of its own, with grassy herbaceous and gooseberry characters.
La Petite Ferme 2004 (Tanners £7.95) is Sancerre-like, with blackcurrant leaf and lime flavours, whereas the Buitenverwachting 2005 (Wine Society £7.95) tastes of green-pea and gooseberry. Meaning "No Name", Zondernaam 2005 (Majestic £7.99) is made by Thelema superstar, Giles Webb, who's turned around the fortunes of an underperforming winery.
The other signature grape, Pinotage, has yet to fully convince the sceptics. First produced in 1925, it's a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, and was originally marketed as Hermitage, a beefed-up Burgundy.
The problem is that it's not simply a maverick, it's wildly inconsistent. It can produce a full-bodied red with jammy fruit, but too often, it's rubbery with an unpleasant metallic taint. Finding a good one is like a needle in a proverbial haystack, and even Tanners' own tasting notes admit that "mercifully Pinotage is losing out to Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz".
Despite their lack of enthusiasm, Tanners have located a real beauty, with their Kaapzicht Pinotage 2004 (£9.60). Big and alcoholic, the secret is that their fruit is only harvested when fully ripe. It's spicy and rich, yet silky-smooth with delicious flavours of plums and prunes.
Perhaps Pinotage is best confined to a supporting role in the traditional Cape Blend, where the variety is ameliorated by the addition of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot amongst others.
If Pinotage is stuttering, Shiraz is flying. Simply put, South Africa has the ideal climate and, within 10 years, it has gone from virtually nothing, to about one-tenth of the vineyard area.
Unsurprisingly, there are an increasing number of good examples and, again, Kaapzicht (Tanners £9.50) has come up trumps. A complete all-rounder, it's gamey, with fresh blackcurrant flavours and firm tannins, followed by a rich, smooth, silky finish.
The most widely planted red, though, is Cabernet Sauvignon. L'Avenir have a deserved reputation for making top-class examples, and their structured 2000 (Wine Society £9.50) is softened with a dollop of Merlot, and enhanced by maturation in French oak.
Nevertheless, this is outshone by the Warwick Trilogy (Wine Society £11.50). An elegant blend of Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, and Merlot, it is finely structured, with a sensational bouquet of fruit and cedar. On the palate, there are dark cherry flavours, seasoned with spice and soft tannins, finishing on a note of caramel. It's complex, with perfect balance and superb length.
South Africa is almost in a unique position, in that it straddles its Old World origins, and encompasses the New World outlook. It can offer that interesting halfway-house between the structure and finesse of Northern Europe and the rich, ripe fruit of the Southern Hemisphere.
The country has taken enormous strides during the past 15 years, but it must strive continually to maintain standards. There is enormous investment, and the isolation of the past has been replaced by a younger generation with cutting-edge skills honed with international experience.
Along with improved winemaking techniques, there is now a much better understanding of what grapes are best suited to the terroir. The industry is not without problems, over-supply and cash flow notwithstanding but the improvements are encouraging and the future looks bright.
The Wine Society 01438.740222; Tanners 01743.234455