The Promise of South Africa

Many U.S. consumers are missing out on all the Cape has to offer

- ALISON NAPJUS

It remains puzzling that South African wine has been slow to gain momentum and recognition in the United States. By any measure, Cape vintners are turning out both reds and whites that should entice any wine fan. Since my previous report (“Open Range,” Aug. 31, 2022), I have reviewed more than 200 wines at our New York office, tasting throughout the year as new vintages became available. Looking back on the group as a whole, I’m still impressed by the scope of wines and styles, with bottlings produced from nearly two dozen different grapes, encompassing everything from boutique, single-vineyard expressions to broader, territorial offerings. Nearly 60% of the wines under review earned outstanding ratings of 90 points or higher on Wine Spectator’s 100-point scale, while 40% of the total number are priced at $25 or less.

“We don’t have any meaningful premium brands on any sort of scale,” says Marc Kent, putting his finger on one of the biggest challenges faced by the country’s wineries as they try to gain a foothold in the U.S. market. Kent has spent nearly three decades helping to promote and develop the South African wine industry, starting as a winemaker and today serving as managing director and technical director for a group of six different properties, ranging from one of the Cape’s top estates, Porseleinberg, to the value-oriented Guardian Peak project. “The industry is very condensed geographically,” Kent says. “But if you visit South Africa, you realize how much we have to offer—the diversity and the opportunity. If you visit, you are sold.”