New World Wines with heritage dating back to 1659

South African wines are generally referred to as New World Wines, but know they have a heritage that dates back to the year 1659! That year South Africa’s first wine was made on the initiative of the VOC (Dutch Easter India Company) fulfilled by a Dutch man called Jan van Riebeeck.

South Africa’s wine industry knew times of glory and times of despair in the years and centuries that followed. The big break-through for SA to be considered one of the greatest wine producing countries in the world was the fall of the ‘apartheid’ regime in the early 90's of the 20th century. Ever since the South African Wine industry has strengthened and improved the quality of the wines to the highest international standards and export was finally realized on large scale.

Denominations South Africa

South Africa’s wine growing regions are located between 31 degrees and 34 degrees latitude of the Southern Hemisphere. Aaldering is located in the Coastal Region on 33 degrees southern latitude within South Africa’s most appreciated Wine of Origin (WO) district called Stellenbosch. The Wine of Origin system was designed in 1973 and is being updated when great developments arise. South Africa is divided in 4 general Wine Regions (Coastal Region, Olifants River Valley, Breede River Valley, and Klein Karoo), then into 14 Districts (e.g. Stellenbosch, Cape Point, Paarl, and Darling) and ultimately in 55 Wards which are defined by a unique terroir (e.g. Devon Valley, Franschhoek Valley, Constantia, Worcester, and Elgin).

The District ‘Stellenbosch’ is named after the second important Dutch man for the development of South African wines, the in 1679 inaugurated governor Simon van der Stel. ‘Stellenbosch’ is a degeneration of ‘Van der Stels bosch’, African/ Dutch for ‘Van der Stel his forest’. Back in the 17th century the high quality of wines already characterized the Stellenbosch District. The Wine of Origin system offers consumers the chance to choose wines that fall within a hierarchy of designated winegrowing regions, simular to the well-known French classification (appellation) system.

Wine of Origin - Stellenbosch

Stellenbosch is known as the most awarded district in terms of quality wines and the second oldest wine region in South Africa after Constantia. Stellenbosch is located 45 kilometers/ 28 miles east of the city of Cape Town. If you are ever visiting South Africa for either an adventurous safari trip or a relaxing golf holiday, make sure you will take at least two days to visit the Cape Winelands like the South Africans refer to it.

Stellenbosch is surrounded by the Helderberg, Simonsberg and Stellenbosch Mountains and receives climatic influences from the nearby False Bay area. Average temperatures during the summer are slightly warmer than those in the French Bordeaux during its growing season (around 20 degrees Celcius/ 68 degrees Fahrenheit). The vineyard soil types range from decomposed granite on the hillside near the mountains to sandy alluvial loam in the valleys near the rivers.

Ward Terroir - Devon Valley

Aaldering Vineyards & Wines is located in Stellenbosch, South Africa’s most prestigious wine district. To be more precise Aaldering is located in 1 of the 7 selected wards of Stellenbosch; Devon Valley. Meaning that Aaldering delivers “Wine of Origin” from a unique and internationally respected terroir known for its Hutton (oakleaf) and Clovelly (much like Hutton but with a higher content of clay) soil. The Hutton soil derived from granite and has a deep reddish-brown color due to the presence of hydrated ferric iron oxide. The clayey Clovelly soil holds water, minerals and other nutritious substances of the soil very well and therefore only needs to be irrigated 3 times a year.

Terroir imparts unique characteristics to the grapes grown on it and results in distinctive and refined premium wines. Devon Valley is well known for its high quality red wines, especially from the cultivars Pinotage, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. The University of Stellenbosch has a renowned oenology faculty and as for the exact location of Aaldering Vineyards & Wines they also advised plantings of the white cultivars Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. These two cultivars will shortly bring elegant white wines to the Aaldering portfolio.

Passionate and professional guidance in the vineyards is the key to providing perfect quality grapes for the production of premium red and white wines. The grapes benefit from Devon Valley’s micro-climate with its cooling south-eastern wind during warm South-African summer afternoons. And as for Aaldering Vineyards & Wines it goes that yet again a Dutch man is behind the initiative of redefining wines from South Africa, Fons Aaldering together with his wife Marianne Aaldering. Therefore watch the developments of Aaldering Vineyards & Wines closely!