.:The Lowvelder Online - Die Laevelder Op Die Web:.

Written by Kierryn Goodwin - Monday, 08 March 2010 15:18

The extraordinary diversity of the Cape wine industry is evident in many ways. It begins with the geographical - with producers growing quality grapes far up the West Coast where the icy sea breezes keep the Sauvignon vines chilled - even in midsummer. Then there are vineyards that lie far to the east - not merely in the Outeniqua Mountains and around Prince Albert, but now also in KwaZulu-Natal.
The terrain also differs - sometimes with several different soil types within the same vineyard block. When Phil Freese, one of America's foremost viticulturalists, was planting the Vilafonté vineyard, he used several different rootstocks and many different clones - on a site that was little more than 10 hectares.
Climate variation can be significant - even over tiny distances. The vineyards of Vergelegen and Morgenster on the Somerset West side of Stellenbosch are significantly cooler than those on the north side of the Simonsberg - also in Stellenbosch!
It’s no surprise that this diversity extends to the growers themselves, many of whom have chosen to work with small single vineyards to emphasise what is unique about their particular property. At the forthcoming Mpumalanga Wine Show it will be possible to sample a host of these boutique products. Ataraxia, Domaine des Dieux, and La Vierge from Walker Bay (as well as wines from Thelema's Walker Bay vineyards), Lomond nearby Gansbaai, Wedderwill near Sir Lowry's Village and D'Aria in Durbanville.
Laibach is Simonsberg and organic, Devon Rocks and Meinert - hand-crafted and from Devon Valley. A quick glance at the 60 or so exhibitors confirms the truth of the Cape wine industry's claim "Diversity is in our genes".