For 300 years, the spectacular Stellenbosch region
has consistently produced excellent wines. Situated in the heart of the
Western Cape, within 45 minutes of Cape Town and its international
airport, the region is close to the ocean and enjoys a mild,
Mediterranean climate. Rain falls mostly in winter and dry summers with
a low humidity level allow grapes to ripen evenly and reliably,
developing to full-flavoured succulence.
Compared with other wine-making regions around the
world, the average winter rainfall in the most damp of all the Cape's
vineyards is lower than that of any part of Burgundy, Champagne or
Bordeaux. Almost all of the South African vineyards need at least a
little supplementary water in summer to bring a healthy crop of grapes
to fruition. For many vine-growers in the Western Cape, particularly
those in the semi-arid regions, a regular and permanent supply of
irrigation water is an essential element of cultivation.
The intensity of the summer sunlight and the
south-western Cape's relative proximity to the equator should, in
theory, combine to create extreme temperatures which would be fatal to
the production of good wine. Although in summer peak temperatures in the
main vine-growing areas are high and grapes ripen easily, days of
excessive heat are rare. Two factors are responsible for tempering the
heat: the proximity of most Western Cape wine-growing areas to the
coast, and the 'Cape Doctor', the south-easterly wind which blows, often
with extravagant fury, across the south-western Cape throughout spring
and summer.
