The eighth biggest wine producer in the world, South Africa offers perhaps more variety and diversity than any other wine-growing country.
All the main wine regions are in the southwestern area of the Cape where conditions are most likely to mirror those of the Mediterranean.
Areas such as Paarl, Stellenbosch, Swartland, Walker Bay and Franschhoek have all become synonymous with top quality wines.
The most popular red wines are shiraz (syrah), cabernet sauvignon, along with cinsault (or cinsaut), pinot noir and the homegrown Cape favourite, pinotage.
Chenin blanc remains the white wine of choice although there are plenty of splendid examples of sauvignon blanc too.
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