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EDITORIAL
– PHILIPPE GAILLARD –
Editorial Director
SOUTH AFRICA’S MOST SECRET WINE ROUTES
Like France, whose flagship is Bordeaux, and the USA, primarily
spearheaded by Californian wines, South Africa’s wine regions are often
reduced to the historic Constantia and the tourist hotspot Stellenbosch,
or even – more recently – to the ‘revolutionary’ newcomer, Swartland.
But if I were to say Piekenierskloof, Cape Agulhas or Plettenberg Bay,
would you be able to pinpoint the country I am suggesting you travel to?
Probably not! The Western Cape boasts a thousand valleys, windswept
bays and highlands with a fairly unfamiliar continental climate. Despite
their picturesque charm, they tend to remain under the wine tourist’s
radar. That’s precisely what makes this country so attractive, as it remains
extremely unspoilt and never ceases to amaze both locals and tourists!
It is also an opportunity to meet unconventional winegrowers with
strong personalities, and to taste grape varieties other than the traditional
Pinotage and Chenin, such as Mourvèdre, Pinot noir, Sauvignon blanc
or even Merlot.
And last but not least, it is a chance to grant oneself the incredible
luxury, considering our current pandemic-induced limitations, to forget
some of the worries of everyday life, to take the less trodden (wine)
routes and to immerse oneself in the unspoilt natural surroundings
that South Africa still offers. These are incredible places, where steep
mountains, polo fields, springboks, cows, zebras... and even elephants,
can live together side by side! You won’t regret it, that’s for sure!
SPRING 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 5