Wine regions of South Africa

The wine regions of South Africa were defined under the "Wine of Origin" (Wyn van Oorsprong) act of 1973. Mirroring the French Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) system, all South African wines listing a "Wine of Origin" must be composed entirely of grapes from its region.[1] The "Wine of Origins" (WO) program mandates how wine regions of South Africa are defined and can appear on wine labels. While some aspects of the WO are taken from the AOC, the WO is primarily concerned with accuracy in labeling. As a result, the WO does not place adjunct regulations on wine regions such as delineating permitted varieties, trellising methods, irrigation techniques, and crop yields.

General location of some South African wine regions

The WO system divides growing regions into four categories. The largest and most generic are Geographical Units (such as the Western Cape region) which subsume the smaller, but still broad spanning Regions (such as Cape South Coast). Under these are clustered districts (like Walker Bay) and within them are wards (such as Elgin). Although these are geographic units, regions and districts are largely traced by political boundaries (wards are the segment most defined by unique, Terroir characteristics).[2]

Summary table
Geographical units Region District Ward
Western CapeBreede River ValleyBreedekloofGoudini
Slanghoek
RobertsonAgterkliphoogte
Bonnievale
Boesmansrivier
Eilandia
Hoopsrivier
Klaasvoogds
Le Chasseur
McGregor
Vinkrivier
Cape South CoastCape AgulhasElim
OverbergElgin
Greyton
Klein Rivier
Theewater
Plettenberg Bay
SwellendamBuffeljags
Malgas
Stormsvlei
Walker BayBot River
Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge
Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
Sunday's Glen
Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
OtherHerbertsdale
Stilbaai East
Coastal RegionCape Peninsula
DarlingGroenekloof
Franschhoek/Franschhoek Valley
PaarlSimonsberg-Paarl
Voor Paardeberg
Wellington
StellenboschBanghoek
Bottelary
Devon Valley
Jonkershoek Valley
Papegaaiberg
Polkadraai Hills
Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
SwartlandMalmesbury
Riebeekberg
Tulbagh
TygerbergDurbanville
Philadelphia
Wellington
OtherConstantia
Hout Bay
Klein KarooCalitzdorp
Langeberg-Garcia
OtherMontagu
Tradouw
Tradouw Highlands
Outeniqua
Upper Langkloof
Olifants RiverCitrusdal Mountain,Piekenierskloof
Citrusdal Valley
Lutzville ValleyKoekenaap
OtherBamboes Bay
Spruitdrift
Vredendal
Cederberg
Ceres
Lamberts Bay
Prince Albert Valley
Swartberg
Northern CapeDouglasHartswater
Central Orange River
Rietrivier FS
Sutherland-Karoo
Eastern CapeSt Francis Bay
KwaZulu-Natal
Limpopo

Geographical units

Regions

Western Cape

  • Boberg - For use in respect of fortified wines from Paarl, Franschhoek and Tulbagh.
  • Breede River Valley - contains three wine districts and fifteen wards.
  • Cape South Coast - contains five districts and 15 wards.
  • Coastal Region - contains eight districts and seventeen wards.
  • Klein Karoo - contains two districts and five wards.
  • Olifants River - contains three districts and five wards.

Northern Cape

Eastern Cape

Districts

Wards
A Sauvignon blanc from the WO of Stellenbosch.

Western Cape:

  • Breedekloof district of the Breede River Valley - Goudini and Slanghoek
  • Robertson district of the Breede River Valley - Agterkliphoogte, Bonnievale, Boesmansrivier, Eilandia, Hoopsrivier, Klaasvoogds, Le Chasseur, McGregor and Vinkrivier
  • Worcester district of the Breede River Valley - Aan-de-Doorns, Hex River Valley, Nuy and Scherpenheuvel
  • Cape Agulhas district of the Cape South Coast - Elim
  • Overberg district of the Cape South Coast - Elgin, Greyton, Klein River and Theewater
  • Swellendam district of the Cape South Coast - Buffeljags, Malgas and Stormsvlei
  • Walker Bay district of the Cape South Coast - Bot River, Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Sunday's Glen, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
  • Other wards from the Cape South Coast - Herbertsdale and Stilbaai East
  • Darling district of the Coastal Region - Groenekloof
  • Paarl district of the Coastal Region - Simonsberg-Paarl, Voor Paardeberg, and Wellington
  • Stellenbosch district of the Coastal Region - Banghoek, Bottelary, Devon Valley, Jonkershoek Valley, Papegaaiberg, Polkadraai Hills and Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
  • Swartland district of the Coastal Region - Malmesbury and Riebeekberg
  • Tygerberg district of the Coastal Region - Durbanville and Philadelphia
  • Other wards in the Coastal Region - Constantia and Hout Bay
  • Other wards in the Klein Karoo Region - Montagu, Tradouw, Tradouw Highlands, Outeniqua and Upper Langkloof
  • Citrusdal Mountain district of the Olifants River region - Piekenierskloof
  • Lutzville Valley district of the Olifants River region - Koekenaap

Other wards in the Olifants River Region - Bamboes Bay, Spruitdrift, Vredendal, Cederberg, Ceres, Lamberts Bay, Prince Albert Valley and Swartberg

Northern Cape:

  • Wards of the Northern Cape - Hartswater, Central Orange River and Rietrivier FS

Eastern Cape:

See also

References
  1. T. Stevenson. "The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia", pp. 445-446, Dorling Kindersley 2005, ISBN 0-7566-1324-8.
  2. J. Robinson (ed). "The Oxford Companion to Wine", Third Edition, pp. 162-163, Oxford University Press 2006 ISBN 0-19-860990-6.
  3. Sokopo, Asa (5 June 2010). "Eastern Cape's First Wine Estate". Daily Dispatch - South Africa. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
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