Along with Australia and the Americas, South Africa can correctly be thought of as a "New World" wine country (as distinct from "Old World" wine countries such as France or Germany).
    South Africa's wine roots are very old. The first governor of the Cape, Jan van Riebeeck, made South Africa's first wine in 1659-40 years before California would plant its first vines
    But van Riebeeck and his fellow Dutch (not surprisingly) were poor winemakers. For instance, to age wine, they used oak vats that previously had brined meat. In 1680, French Huguenots began to settle in South Africa and brought with them their superior winemaking skills-and turned around South African wine.
    At the 34th latitude south, South Africa enjoys a Mediterranean-like climate of warm summers and cool, wet winters. Most of its vineyard areas are aligned in a sleepy C along the country's western coast, none more than 50 kilometers from the sea, with Cape Town both the geographical and titular center.
    The icy Benguela Current flows from Antarctica up the western coast of Africa and has the effect of cooling many a South African summer day.
    One of the effects of the long-standing political isolation of the country is that the wine industry evolved in a more independent manner. Some of the best-known wines of South Africa traditionally have been made from Pinotage and Cape Riesling, varieties rarely grown outside the country.
    In 1925, professor Abraham Perold of the University of Cape Town crossed Pinot Noir with Cinsaut (called Hermitage), thereby creating South Africa's own grape variety, Pinotage. It produces straightforward, even rustic, reds with tastes of both red and black fruits, spice and clove.
    More than a quarter of South African vineyards are planted with Chenin Blanc, there called Steen. It produces dry, semi-dry and sparkling wines that are very popular throughout the country-and now the world-especially the food-friendly dry styles.