Costal Region
Main grapes: Shiraz, Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot (Bordeaux Blend common), Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Sub-regions: Swartland, Wellington, Paarl, Darling, Tygerberg, Constantia, Cape Peninsula, Stellenbosch, Franschoek
Climate: The Hottentot Hollands Mountains protect the region from the strong cooling influences that effect the South. Despite this, vineyards closer to the coast still have a maritime climate given the sea breeze, while those further in land have a Mediterranean climate with higher temperatures during the day.
You should know... The Costal Region is where it all began for wine in South Africa, and today it counts for nearly half of all of the country’s vineyards, home to many of the best-known regions, including Stellenbosch, Franschoek and Paarl. Historically, it is thanks to French Huguenot (Protestant) refugees that the wine industry got started in South Africa; they settled in the Cape during the 17th Century, bringing with them both vines and their ‘savoir-faire’ to get the whole operation off the ground.
Sub-regions: Swartland, Wellington, Paarl, Darling, Tygerberg, Constantia, Cape Peninsula, Stellenbosch, Franschoek
Climate: The Hottentot Hollands Mountains protect the region from the strong cooling influences that effect the South. Despite this, vineyards closer to the coast still have a maritime climate given the sea breeze, while those further in land have a Mediterranean climate with higher temperatures during the day.
You should know... The Costal Region is where it all began for wine in South Africa, and today it counts for nearly half of all of the country’s vineyards, home to many of the best-known regions, including Stellenbosch, Franschoek and Paarl. Historically, it is thanks to French Huguenot (Protestant) refugees that the wine industry got started in South Africa; they settled in the Cape during the 17th Century, bringing with them both vines and their ‘savoir-faire’ to get the whole operation off the ground.
