‘Cape Town’ designation ‘groundbreaking’ for South Africa

The South African Wine and Spirit Board has approved ‘Cape Town’ as a new Wine of Origin District, allowing producers to springboard from the capital’s international brand to better promote its wines and marking a “huge step forward for the South African wine industry”.

Described as a “ground-breaking move”, the new designation of Cape Town WO is aimed at elevating the profile of South African wine through a direct association to Cape Town, that the Wien and Spirit Board hopes will “unite” the wine wards of Constantia, Durbanville, Philadelphia and Hout Bay under the banner of Wine of Origin Cape Town.

A total of 30 wineries, including Groot Constantia, Durbanville Hills, Diemersdal, Klein Constantia, Nitida, Meerendal, Buitenverwachting and Cape Point Vineyards, will now fall under the newly demarcated District.

“The collaboration between the various wards and wineries in coming together to form the new wine district is a huge step forward for the South African wine industry,” said Rico Basson, CEO of South African wine producers’ organisation Vinpro.

“It is an example of innovative co-operation in harnessing producers to market their respective regions under one name, the name Cape Town being much-needed for South African wine to present itself as a global player. As a wine region, Cape Town now encapsulates a wonderful set of dynamics in terms of heritage, culture and modern wine styles. South Africa is already well-known for our wine tourism offering and this new development will add to integrating our strategy of innovative marketing.”

Basson said the wards involved are incorporated in a unique area of the Cape Winelands that includes wards surrounded by the effect of the Atlantic Ocean and representing a similar geography. “South Africa’s Wine of Origin legislation is highly acknowledged and respected as one of the best implemented and regulated in the world, so besides the tremendous marketing opportunities Wine of Origin Cape Town holds, the region represents a wine-making and grape-growing entity with vast similarities.”

South Africa’s WO system works as a three tier system, incorporating the largest geographical area, known as a Region, followed by a District, such as Cape Town, and finally a Ward, such as Dubanville.

Previously the Wards of Durbanville, Constantia, Philadelphia, Hout Bay and Durbanville fell under two separate Districts. The introduction of a Cape Town WO District, will bring these region’s together under one internationally recognised banner, while also ensuring 100% of grapes are sourced from WO labelled on the bottle.

Martin Moore, chairman of the Durbanville Wine Valley, said the joining together of the northern and southern suburb wineries surrounding Table Mountain and Cape Town was “one of the most exciting recent developments in the wine industry”.

“Durbanville, Constantia and the other wards involved share the cool climate linked to the Atlantic seaboard as well as the ‘cool’ vibrancy with which the Cape Town brand is associated,” he said. “Myself and the other Durbanville wineries look forward to being linked to a name that is well-known internationally and is historically the Mother City of the South African wine industry.”

John Loubser, chairman of the Constantia Wine Route, added: “While we are now proudly Cape Town wineries, each of the areas and individual wineries will still offer tourists and wine lovers the individual wine experiences for which we have become known. Only now we can do it together under the name of one of the world’s most dynamic place names that resonates with consumers world-wide.”

Now that the legislation has been approved, a new destination marketing organisation representing Wine of Origin Cape Town will be rolled out over the next few months.

According to Siobhan Thompson, CEO of Wines of South Africa (WOSA), the new designation of Wine of Origin Cape Town will boost the profile of the country’s wines and winelands internationally.

“As a destination, Cape Town has long been a firm favourite among international travellers and has a strong reputation for not only its beauty, but also its flavours, be it wine and food and, of course, its people,” she said.

“This new appellation will not only hold positive rewards for the region, but also for South African wine as a whole, as it will surely draw instant recognition due to the popularity Cape Town enjoys abroad. WOSA looks forward to marketing it in our key markets with our international teams.”

Wine of Origin Cape Town producers include:-

Constantia 

Steenberg Vineyards
Constantia Uitsig
Buitenverwachting
Klein Constantia
Groot Constantia
High Constantia
Eagles Nest
Constantia Glen
Beau Constantia
Silvermist
Nova Zonnestraal

Durbanville

Altydgedacht
Bloemendal
Canto
D’Aria
De Grendel
Diemersdal
Durbanville Hills
Hillcrest
Klein Roosboom
Meerendal
Nitida
Phizantekraal
Signal Gun

Independent Producers 

Cape Point Vineyards
Ambeloui
Hout Bay Vineyards
Signal Hill

Philadelphia

Capaia
Havana Hills