Annual wine celebrations are planned

A flourishing South Africa wine industry is throwing itself annual birthday bashes and the world’s oenophiles are invited to join in the celebrations that will run year-in, year-out.

This year marks the 365th anniversary of the start of wine production in the country, with wine producers not only being able to declare which year it began but the specific day wine-producing grapes were first planted, thanks to the planter’s meticulous lifestyle.

A diary entry chronicling the planting was made Feb. 2, 1659, by Jan Van Riebeek at Groot Constantia, labelled by Cape Town and Western Cape tourism board Wesgro as “the oldest wine farm in South Africa.

“The first growers of wine grapes with the Dutch settlers who were stationed at the Cape by the Dutch East India Company. They were tasked with creating a settlement (refreshment station) where the company’s ships could stop and reload with fresh food and goods for their onward journeys and so the land was cultivated with a wide range of agricultural products, amongst which was wine grapes,” says Wesgro.

South Africa’s is the only wine industry that has an actual, recorded start date, something many wine enthusiasts find intriguing. They are often surprised that the industry is centuries old, considering South African wine is often referred to as “New World’ wine.”

“South Africa is the only country in the world that knows the exact date of the start of its wine industry,” adds South African Wine, a collective.

“This year we’re celebrating 365 years of wine making in South Africa,” adds Justin Barnette of South African Tourism, with South African Tourism eager to make further inroads in a growing international wine tourism industry.

Officials launched the  #HappyBirthdaySAWine campaign on Feb. 1, the start of South Africa’s harvest season. The campaign ran through February with various events, social media activations and the “industry and public coming together with one voice and narrative to wish SA Wine a Happy Birthday. This was a public-private partnership where we encouraged the industry and public to raise a glass to SA Wine. The plan is to continue this every February,” Wesgro states.

Wine tourism has become a major component of South Africa’s tourism trade, with there now being 20 wine routes in Cape Town and the Western Cape. There are 523 wineries in the country, 515 in the Western Cape. 92% of those wineries have at least a tasting room, and more than half also have a restaurant, event or accommodation offering to complement their tasting room and wine tours or experiences.

“All our wine estates are different,” Barnette’s South African Tourism Colleague Judy Pillay adds.

South African Wine 2022 figures report that some 18 million glasses of South African wine were consumed daily worldwide during that year, indicating how it has built a following at home and abroad.

“The overall quality of our wines have improved significantly over the years to where South African wine is now regarded as some of the best in the world,” Wesgro says. “Our wine region is renowned globally. Cape Town and the Cape Winelands is one of 12 member cities of the Great Wine Capitals — this is a testament to the world-class wine tourism offerings.”

Meanwhile, South Africa Wine CEO Rico Basson says wine enthusiasts who missed this year’s February wine industry tribute are welcome to participate in next February’s celebrations or others in the coming years.

“In the heart of South Africa, where vines weave a tapestry of tradition and innovation, we celebrate the unique spirit of our nation’s wine industry – a legacy dating back to the 17th century,” Basson says. “As we raise a glass to this remarkable journey, we honour not just the vineyards, but the people who breathe life into every grape and the progress that propels us into a future where excellence and diversity intertwine.

“We look forward to another birthday celebration for South African wine – its people, products, and progress are a testament to the enduring beauty of our cultural heritage.”