Page 68 - Grapevine SeptOct 2021
P. 68
International News
THE SOUTH AFRICAN WINELANDS:
A Story of Endurance
By: Hanifa Sekandi
S outh Africa, a place where, if the Winelands Riebeeck led the Dutch East India Company’s set-
could speak, they would tell a story that
tlement in the Cape. The first known record of
would leave you spellbound and wanting
more, down to the last sip of Pinotage. Every wine in this region is February 2, 1659. During this
time, the medicinal properties found in wine were
grape has a story: how it began and the many tri- used to treat scurvy. This made the South African
als and tribulations it endured to take form into a port an ondemand place to voyage to by sailors
palate pleasing accompaniment for one to enjoy. seeking treatment. Two decades later, in 1679,
As simple as it may seem, even with a favorable Stellenbosch, what is now South Africa’s most
Mediterranean climate and rich South African soil, famous wine-producing region and second oldest
the journey to the bottle is what makes this wine settlement, solidified a long-standing legacy in
an intriguing and highly coveted selection. viticulture. Located in the western Cape’s coastal
region, vinotourists eagerly explore South Africa’s
In 1652, more than 350 years ago, Jan Van acclaimed wine estates to experience firsthand the
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