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The Region
The Dutch didn't have a great wine tradition, and it was only in 1688 that the wine industry really took of, when 150 French Huguenots ( fleeing from their homeland on religious grounds) brought their winemaking skills to Africa. Soon the area around Cape Town was to small for these winemaking masters, and they settled on farms in the fertile valleys around Cape Town, where the climate is almost similar to that of the Mediterranean climate; perfect for only the best vines. The Cape winelands stretch from the coastal region to the open plains of the Little Karoo. Currently there are 101 607 hectares of vines, producing wine grapes for the South African market; stretching over an area of 800 km in length. From the valley of Wine and Roses we source only the best quality wines for Leeuwenzicht wines. Due to the limestone soil, cool night temperature and annual rainfall of around 400mm, this is the perfect area for the perfect wine; Leeuwenzicht. During the hot summers in the valley between the Langeberg (long mountain) and Riviersonderend mountains (river without end) , cooling south east winds from the coast channel moist air into the valley, creating the perfect climate for the perfect winegrape. Over the past 350 years the cultures from Europe, Africa and the East mingled at the Southern tip of Africa, and so did the wines. From this tradition comes a wine tradition with its roots in the classic 'old world' of France, Germany and Italy, but also an awareness of 'new world' wines from California and Australia. "Wine is poetry in a bottle" (Clifton Fadiman) |
