By opening vineyards and chateaus across Africa, some “next generation” winemakers are hoping to challenge South Africa’s 350-year dominance in the wine business, CNN reports.
CNN took a look at a new generation of wines from some of Africa’s lesser-known producers in some unlikely destinations, and came up with a list of five, from chenin blancs to cabernet sauvignons, said to be making a splash.
The world’s eighth-largest wine producer, South Africa’s wine trade contributed $2.4 billion to its economy with exports increasing by more than 25 percent in 2013, according to the South African Wine Industry Information and Systems.
Wine is becoming increasingly popular in Africa but the industry is still in its infancy outside South Africa, Matome Mbatha, market manager at Wines of South Africa, told CNN.
“The process of production and sustainability of wine in African nations, other than South Africa, still has a long way to go in order to be competitive in the global market,” Mbatha said. “We are still to see another African country produce wine at the level and quality of South Africa.”
Check out these five wines from unlikely African destinations.
A combination of high-altitude vineyards, hot summers and cool nights make land-locked Zimbabwe an ideal location for wine growing, said Jonathan Passaportis, manager of the Bushman Rock Estate.
Bushman Rock is one of Zimbabwe’s most prominent vineyards, producing a range of fine wines in a plush valley on the Nyamasanga River, CNN reports.
Old world grape varieties have been altered by prevailing conditions, resulting in “a true Zimbabwean wine,” Passaportis said.
The charlevale is the winery’s flagship tipple — a dry, oaked white wine blend of semillon, sauvignon blanc and muscat with hints of fresh gooseberry and an acidic, lemony finish.
“Whilst great wines are being made from Zimbabwean vineyards, some of which have received awards in international competitions, there is still room for growth in both quality and quantity,” Passaportis said.
Zimbabwean wines are gaining recognition on the international stage as tourists visit the
country’s vineyards.
Visitors to the Bushman Rock chateaux can buy a case of charlevale or stellagalen, a classic red Bordeaux, for $25.
Tej is very traditional, but very different — an East African honey wine, primarily consumed in Ethiopia. The white wine, which can be either sweet or dry depending on the amount of honey used, includes gesho, a buckthorn shrub native to the Horn of Africa nation.
Harry Kloman, an expert on tej and Ethiopian cuisine, said there are very few, if any, wineries that produce tej. The wine tends to be homemade or served in a “Tej Bet” — a bar that specializes in it.
Araya Selassie Yibrehu is one of the producers who has mastered the art of tej brewing over the years.
“Unlike other wines my Tej and Tej-based wines are all ‘happy drinks’ that have a delicate taste and are thirst quenching,” he said. “It’s a great stimulating aperitif and complement to most dishes or desserts.”
Sales of Tej wine are increasing internationally as social media and international wine
competitions raise awareness of alternative African wines, Yibrehu said. “It has also taken tremendous effort to bring these ethnic, but ancient wines to the 21st century
recognition … Obviously, my goal is to keep producing these delicious Tej wines.”
Tej costs between five to 15 Ethiopian birr (26 cents to 78 cents) locally.
The Rift Valley Winery sits on the equator. Its flagship vintage, the Leleshwa Sauvignon Blanc, is a light and tropical blend with a summery aroma.
The wine is produced high up in Kenya’s Rift Valley, thousands of meters above sea level, and is owned by the Kenya Nut Company.
People thought it was impossible to grow vines and impossible to produce quality wine in the region, said Emma Nderitu, a spokeswoman for the winery. They were wrong.
With a growing consumer base and plans to expand around Africa, the Rift Valley Winery is proof that good quality wine can be produced in extreme climates, Nderitu said.
But the winery isn’t producing enough wine to export to European and U.S. markets yet.
“We have received requests to export…but we are still at our expansion phase,” she said.
Leleshwa Sauvignon Blanc retails in local supermarkets for about $6 and the brand’s red wine for $7.
Tanazania’s Dodoma region produces three wines — dry white, red and natural sweet.
Khadija Madawili, technical manager at SABMiller Tanzania, said the red wine has a smooth, rounded taste and is best with “nyama choma,” a local delicacy of roasted spiced meat, while the “natural sweet” wine complements light salads or can be enjoyed as an aperitif.
The Dodoma region is home to a number of varieties including Chenin Blanc, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Makutupora, a local dry red.
The dry earth and sandy soil, combined with low humidity, are perfect for producing dry white and red wines in Dodoma, Madawili said.
There are two harvests seasons a year, in March and August-September.
Ifrikia Rouge Reserve, made by Domaine Atlas in Tunisia, is produced in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, a series of peaks that run through Northwest Africa. Just 10 kilometers from the sea, the vineyards are located in the middle of Cap Bon, a peninsula in the northeast of the country, which boasts a Mediterranean climate with wine-growing conditions similar to parts of Spain and Italy.
With a deep maroon color and sweet aroma similar to port, Ifrikia Rouge Reserve is a Cabernet blend with a smooth flavor and a rich tangy aftertaste with hints of raspberry.
At $7 dollars a bottle, Ifrikia competes with many of its European counterparts, CNN reports.
