Wine Wednesday Quick Quiz Answers

Here are the correct answers for the Quick Quiz:

QUESTION 1 ANSWER

Which sub-region in South Africa has the largest area under vine?

• Stellenbosch
• Robertson
• Paarl
• Swartland

Total area under vine, wine grapes (in South Africa): 90 512 hectares,

• vs 92 005ha in 2020,
• vs 92 067ha in 2019,
• vs 93 021ha in 2018,
• vs 94 545ha in 2017,
• vs 95 775ha in 2016,
• vs 98 594ha in 2015.

These figures are are not the same as areas to which Wine of Origin certification applies.

• Stellenbosch plus Constantia, Durbanville: 14 993 hectares, 380 farms, 165 independent cellars, 2 co-operative cellars
• Paarl plus Franschhoek, Tulbagh, Wellington: 14 631 hectares, 409 farms, 112 independent cellars, 6 co-operative cellars
• Breedekloof: 12 752 hectares, 188 farms, 19 independent cellars, 10 co-operative cellars
• Robertson: 12 690 hectares, 267 farms, 37 independent cellars, 7 co-operative cellars
• Swartland plus Darling: 12 333 hectares, 186 farms, 28 independent cellars, 1 co-operative cellar
• Olifants River plus Lutzville: 8 783 hectares, 310 farms, 12 independent cellars, 3 co-operative cellars
• Worcester: 6 417 hectares, 199 farms, 11 independent cellars, 8 co-operative cellars
• Northern Cape: 3 197 hectares, 380 farms, 10 independent cellars, 2 co-operative cellars
• Cape South Coast: 2 631 hectares, 148 farms, 62 independent cellars, 0 co-operative cellars
• Klein Karoo: 2 145 hectares, 146 farms, 15 independent cellars, 4 co-operative cellars

QUESTION 2 ANSWER

Vredendal Cellar is South Africa’s Largest Winery. During harvesting, how many tons of grapes are they able to process per day?

• 200 tons/day
• 500 tons/day
• 1 000 tons/day
• 2 000 tons/day

There is a touch of irony to the fact that South Africa’s largest Winery – and the biggest in the Southern hemisphere – is quite some distance from the traditional Cape winelands. Nevertheless, even at a reach of some 300 kilometers north of Cape Town along the famous West Coast, some 20 kilometers of the Atlantic Coast of South Africa lies the Olifants River Region of Origin. Today WestCorp International 223 farmer members, harvesting around 100 000 tons of grapes.

The state-of-the-art cellar may be immense, but it is also, in a big way, a leader in the innovation of production and marketing of modern South African wine, nationally and internationally. At the same time it has a loyal and wide following in both the local and export markets where it has been acknowledged with accolades such as;

· 1994 General Smuts Trophy – Ruby Cabernet / Cabernet Franc Blend
· 1995 Expovina Zurich Silver – Cabernet Sauvignon / Ruby Cabernet
· 1997 Expovina Zurich – Chardonnay / Sauvignon Blanc
· 1997/1998 Silver Veritas – Cabernet Sauvignon / Ruby Cabernet
· 1998 Silver Veritas – Chardonnay
· 1998 Silver Veritas – Chardonnay / Sauvignon Blanc
· 1998 Silver Veritas – Colombard / Chardonnay
· 1998/1999 Expovina Zurich – Chardonnay / Sauvignon Blanc
· 1998 Silver Veritas – Cabernet Franc / Ruby Cabernet
· 1998 Silver Veritas – Ruby Cabernet/Pinotage/Merlot
· 1998 Silver Veritas – Hanepoot / Jerepigo
· 1998 SA Champion Wine Award – Muscat

Presently accounting for a full 15% of all wines imported into the UK from South Africa, it has some well-established brands in that and other overseas markets.

Although previously mostly a white wine producing region, new plantings are showing tremendous potential for red wine. Cellar Master Len Knoetze is extremely enthusiastic about expanding their red wines in the international market.

The winery, originally established in 1947, made a massive paradigm shift in the 1980s when it changed from simply serving local wine farmers as vintner and seller to become an international player. When the global markets opened for South Africa wine producers at the start of the 1990s, Vredendal Winery was ready!

It is now set to fast track as global wine performer, hence their slogan, “ Vredendal wines for the modern wine drinker! Countries of export include UK, Holland, Grenada, Switzerland, Sweden, Belgium, Kenya, Canada, Japan, Israel, Germany and Curacao.

Early morning harvesting in tandem with strict vineyard selection has been introduced to preserve freshness in the cool grapes. Despite receiving 2 000 tons of grapes per day during harvesting, all lots are kept separate, as they are cool fermented in one of the Southern Hemisphere’s largest temperature-controlled cellars. And so are the Vredendal Winery’s brands created.

QUESTION 3 ANSWER

The UK is South Africa’s largest wine export market. Which country is the second largest?

• Germany
• Canada
• China
• Finland

South Africa’s largest wine market is the UK, which took in 96.9 million litres of wine in 2022, a rise of 5% on the previous year. However, the total value of exports to the UK dropped by 5% to ZAR2.4bn.

Germany, South Africa’s second-biggest export market, declined by 17% in value and by 9% in volume terms. WoSA attributed the results to inflation and “an emerging culture of drinking local wines”.

Exports to China fell by 38% in volume, accompanied by a decline in value of 26%. South African wines in the market had been showing “exponential growth” but China’s zero-Covid policy hit demand, WoSA said.

QUESTION 4 ANSWER

True or False: Despite being one of South Africa’s favourite wines, Sauvignon Blanc is only 5th most planted grape?

• True
• False

The breakdown of wine grape varieties in South Africa is:

Chenin Blanc – 18.2%
Cabernet Sauvignon – 11.3%
Colombard – 12.0%
Shiraz – 10.5%
Sauvignon Blanc – 9.4%
Chardonnay – 8.0%
Pinotage – 7.5%
Merlot – 6.0%

QUESTION 5 ANSWER

Pinotage is ‘the South African grape’ made by crossing Pinot Noir and Cinsault. In South Africa, what was Cinsault once known as:

• Hermitage
• Cinq Saou
• Bourdales
• Black Malvoisie

Cinsault (or Cinsaut) originated in the south of France. Cultivated as ‘Hermitage’ since 1850 in South Africa. Cinsault used to be one of the most widely planted varieties. However, in the mid-20th century, the rising popularity of Bordeaux varieties changed Cinsault’s status, and vineyards were ripped up to make way for the French grape du jour.

Pinotage is a red wine grape that is South Africa’s signature variety. It was cultivated there in 1925 as a cross between Pinot noir and Cinsaut (Cinsaut was known as ‘Hermitage’ in South Africa at that time, hence the -age in the name).