WineGuessrSouth African wines
South Africa is the world's eighth-largest wine producer, with 90,512 ha of wine grapes in 2022, mostly in the Western Cape around Stellenbosch, Paarl and Swartland. Chenin Blanc is its most planted grape, and Pinotage, a Pinot Noir and Cinsaut cross bred in 1924, is its own red variety.
WineGuessr features 9 wines from South Africa, in 1 region.
Wine history
Jan van Riebeeck recorded the first harvest at the Cape on 2 February 1659. In 1685 governor Simon van der Stel bought a 750 ha estate outside Cape Town and founded Constantia, whose sweet wine became famous in Europe; between 1815 and 1821 Napoleon had up to 1,126 litres of Constantia wine shipped to him each year in exile, a style revived today as Vin de Constance. To deal with overproduction, the government funded the KWV cooperative in 1918. In 1924 Abraham Perold, Stellenbosch University's first professor of viticulture, crossed Pinot Noir with Cinsaut to create Pinotage; the first wine was made in 1941. The Wine of Origin scheme was drafted in 1973.
Wine regions and appellations
The Wine of Origin (WO) system defines regions, districts and wards, and nearly all quality wine comes from the Western Cape. Stellenbosch and Paarl grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage and Chenin Blanc, and Franschhoek adds Semillon and Chardonnay. Constantia, on the Cape Peninsula, makes Vin de Constance. Swartland makes Chenin Blanc, Syrah and Grenache, while Elgin and the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley grow Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Robertson and Tulbagh lie further inland. In 2022 the industry had 2,613 grape growers and 536 cellars.
Grapes and what to drink
Chenin Blanc is the most planted grape, ahead of Colombard, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz (Syrah). Chenin is grown in Stellenbosch, Paarl, Swartland and Tulbagh and is made in a wide range of styles. Pinotage, the country's own cross, gives deep-coloured reds and is a speciality of Stellenbosch and Paarl. Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux-style blends come from Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, Elgin and Hemel-en-Aarde make Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc is grown in Elgin and Robertson. For a historic sweet wine, try Vin de Constance from Constantia, made from Muscat, the descendant of the wine Napoleon ordered.
Wine regions of South Africa
Grapes of South Africa
Western Cape: 9 wines
- ElginWine of Origin · Elgin / Grabouw, Western Cape · Red & white
- FranschhoekWine of Origin · Franschhoek, Western Cape · Red & white
- Hemel-en-Aarde ValleyWine of Origin · Hermanus, Western Cape · Red & white
- PaarlWine of Origin · Paarl, Western Cape · Red & white
- RobertsonWine of Origin · Robertson, Western Cape · White
- StellenboschWine of Origin · Stellenbosch, Western Cape · Red & white
- SwartlandWine of Origin · Malmesbury / Riebeek-Kasteel, Western Cape · Red & white
- TulbaghWine of Origin · Tulbagh, Western Cape · Red & white
- Vin de ConstanceIcon wine · Constantia, Western Cape · Sweet white
Wine in South Africa: questions and answers
What is Pinotage?
Pinotage is a red grape created in South Africa in 1924 by Abraham Perold, who crossed Pinot Noir with Cinsaut (then called Hermitage locally). The first Pinotage wine was made in 1941.
What is the most planted grape in South Africa?
Chenin Blanc is South Africa's most planted grape. Colombard, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz follow.
When was the first wine made in South Africa?
The first harvest at the Cape was recorded by Jan van Riebeeck on 2 February 1659.
What is Vin de Constance?
Vin de Constance is a sweet wine from Constantia near Cape Town, descended from the Constantia wine of the 18th and 19th centuries. Napoleon had up to 1,126 litres of it shipped to him each year between 1815 and 1821.
What is the best-known wine region in South Africa?
Stellenbosch is the best-known, along with Paarl, Franschhoek and Swartland, all in the Western Cape. Stellenbosch grows Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage and Chenin Blanc.
Wines from other countries
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org
Last reviewed October 2026.