THE NEW FACE OF SOUTH AFRICA

The arc of South African wine runs 350 years, from Jan van Riebeeck’s first vines in 1659, planted at the Dutch East India Company’s outpost at the Cape of Good Hope, to the Constantia dessert wines that gained European prestige in the 18th century, through the bulk-wine isolation of the KWV during apartheid, and finally to the post-1994 renaissance when exports reopened and innovation took root. Yet for most of the 20th century, South African wine lived under the shadow of politics. During apartheid, international markets shut their doors, and the industry turned inward, producing anonymous bulk wines and heavily oaked Pinotage that reinforced stereotypes once markets reopened.

South Africa now counts over 90,000 hectares under vine and produces about 3.9 million liters annually, ranking consistently in the world’s top ten wine-producing countries. The industry is concentrated in the Western Cape, where the Cape Fold mountains create a patchwork of microclimates. The official Wines of Origin (WO) system recognizes roughly 30 districts and more than 70 wards, including internationally known names such as Stellenbosch, Paarl, Elgin, Hemel-en-Aarde, and Swartland.

Chenin Blanc remains the most planted variety at nearly 18% of vineyard area, followed by Colombard, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Shiraz. While Pinotage is uniquely South African, the country’s range is striking. More than 95 different varietals are cultivated, from Mediterranean grapes like Grenache and Mourvèdre to classic Bordeaux and Burgundy plantings. This mix reflects both a deep colonial legacy and a restless, experimental present.

The past three decades have brought reinvention. With political isolation lifted, growers and winemakers began to rethink what South African wine could be. They restored forgotten old vineyards, replanted varieties that thrive in the Cape’s Mediterranean climate, and embraced modern, natural-leaning methods. Today, South Africa has one of the most dynamic wine scenes anywhere. It is proud of its history but unwilling to be defined by it.

Of course, we cannot speak about South African wine without special homage to the grape that brought it international attention: Pinotage. Developed in the 1920s to thrive in South Africa’s unique climate, it is a cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsault (then called Hermitage). For decades it became the country’s signature grape, though its reputation suffered under a wave of clumsy, over-extracted wines in the late 20th century.

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Source: https://vineyards.com/wine-map/south-africa

That story is now being rewritten. With careful vineyard selection, lighter extraction, and restrained oak, Pinotage can be fragrant, supple, and deeply expressive of place. All that said, we decided not to feature it in this month’s trio. Instead, we encourage you to explore an excellent modern Pinotage already on Amaro’s shelves: David & Nadia Wines Topography Pinotage Swartland (2023), a perfect example of how far the grape has come.

Since South Africa’s homegrown crossing of Pinot Noir and Cinsault still dominates the conversation, we thought it fitting to feature its parent grapes in this month’s selections, alongside a Chenin Blanc that demonstrates why Cape terroir deserves a place in the global conversation.

CHENIN BLANC RECLAIMED IN STELLENBOSCH

Chenin Blanc, locally called Steen, is South Africa’s defining white grape. Brought by Dutch settlers in the 17th century, it became the country’s most planted variety and was long used for bulk production. Today, Chenin is being reclaimed as a noble grape, capable of wines of texture, nuance, and longevity. Stellenbosch, the country’s historic viticultural center, anchors this revival. Granite-rich soils and maritime winds from False Bay give Chenin both ripeness and verve. This landscape, once tied to bulk production under the KWV, now fuels the country’s renaissance in fine wine.

Into this historic region enters Ntsiki Biyela, founder of Aslina. Raised in rural KwaZulu-Natal, she won a scholarship to study winemaking and became South Africa’s first Black female winemaker, earning international renown. Her wines, named for her grandmother Aslina who raised her, symbolize the new voices transforming a historically exclusionary industry.

Stellenbosch vineyards.

Ntsiki Biyela

Featured October Amaro Wine Club South African wine: Aslina Chenin Blanc Skin Contact (2023)

VARIETALS: Chenin Blanc

Biyela sought something bold and different with this varietal. Instead of oak aging, she drew structure and complexity from macerating the grapes on their skins for about a week. Fermentation was carried out in stainless steel, and in her classic Chenin bottling she ages the wine on the lees for about six months, preserving vibrancy while adding textural depth.

FOOD PAIRINGS: seared scallops, Cape Malay curry, lentil stews, roast chicken

CINSAULT: FROM WORKHORSE TO CORNERSTONE

Cinsault, once the workhorse of South African vineyards, supplied high yields and bulked out blends. In recent years it has been rediscovered as a heritage grape, valued both as a counterpoint to the heavy reds that once defined the Cape and, on its own, for delicate, fresh, lightly perfumed wines. Swartland, a region north of Cape Town once dismissed as hot and rustic, has become central to this Cinsault revival. Its old, dry-farmed bush vines rooted in granite and shale soils now yield fruit with both brightness and depth.

The Bosman family, farming here for eight generations, exemplifies this shift. They made wine from 1810 to 1957 before selling grapes exclusively, until resuming winemaking in 2007. The first Bosman arrived in South Africa in 1707 as a “sieketrooster” (caregiver) for the Drakenstein community, setting a tone of social involvement that endures. Their dedication to vineyard rehabilitation parallels their broader community commitment. They are major local employers, operate a fully staffed primary school for employees’ children, and in 2008 shared 430 hectares of prime farmland with the Adama Trust, owned by their workers. Fairtrade-certified since 2009, Bosman was named top Fairtrade wine label at the 2015 International Wine Challenge.

Bosman Family Vineyards estate dates to 1810

A fully staffed primary school on the farm

Featured October Amaro Wine Club South African wine: Bosman Family Vineyards Cinsault “Twyfeling” (2023)

VARIETALS: Cinsault

The estate’s Twyfeling site, home to old vines, has become a cornerstone of South Africa’s renewal. Hand-harvested grapes are fermented to preserve brightness and aromatic lift, then aged to emphasize fruit purity and vineyard character rather than weight. This shows why Cinsault now stands as a cornerstone of the Cape’s renaissance.

FOOD PAIRINGS: charcuterie, grilled lamb chops, mushroom risotto, roasted root vegetables

FINICKY PINOT NOIR FINDS ITS FOOTING

Pinot Noir, famously demanding in the vineyard, has found strongholds in the Cape’s coolest sites. Regions like Elgin and Walker Bay, close to the ocean and marked by high elevation, provide the slow ripening and diurnal swings that Pinot requires to retain elegance and aromatic lift. These areas now yield some of the Cape’s most refined reds. Here, Pinot proves that South Africa can make wines of delicacy and nuance, countering the global image of heat and power with wines that emphasize balance, fragrance, and restraint.

Stellenbosch Kloof, a ward east of Stellenbosch town that runs toward the Helderberg mountains, delivers just the right conditions. Cooler and windier than much of Stellenbosch, with decomposed granite soils, it is well suited to fresher styles of Cabernet and, increasingly, Pinot Noir.

Craven Wines, founded in 2011, embodies this new approach. Mick and Jeanine Craven, an Australian and South African, respectively, met in California working in vineyards. They fell in love, traveled the wine world and selected Jeanine’s native land to ply their trade. They eschew cultured yeasts and fining agents, favor old oak, large barrels, and sometimes no oak, all to let terrain and grapes express themselves. Widely regarded as leaders of the “new Stellenbosch” movement.

Mick and Jeanine Craven

Featured October Amaro Wine Club South African wine: Ann Faure Pinot Noir (2024)
VARIETALS: Pinot Noir

Ann Faure is a new project of Mick and Jeanine. The portfolio name is a nod to both the word “amphora” and their children’s middle names. This is the first wine released in the Ann Faure lineup to demonstrate how South African Pinot can thrive with minimal manipulation. While not technically fermenting or aging in amphora, the wine avoids oak. Grapes from 15-year-old vines in decomposed granite soils were hand-harvested, fermented whole-berry in concrete, and left eight days on skins before aging six months in stainless steel (80%) and concrete (20%). Bottled with light filtration, minimal sulfur, and no fining, it yielded only 415 cases.

FOOD PAIRINGS: roast duck, mushroom pasta, herb-crusted salmon, soft-rind cheeses