Red Blends

South African wines are renowned as having some of the finest Red Blends in the world.

It is often understood that grapes which can be rather heavy on their own will work better by being mixed with a softer and more elegant wine, and delicate wines can be given strength and body through the addition of a meaty or more substantial wine.

In the past South African wine producers have concentrated heavily upon growing and making a single varietal of wine like Merlot or Shiraz.  After the fall of Apartheid, when European wines and grape vines were coming back into South Africa, there was intense planting of single varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Eventually, this led to over-production on the market of single-varietal wines, and some wine makers have been forced to branch out into other types of wine production, including making red wine blends from a mix of European and South African wine.

There are mainly three types of red blends:

Cape Blend

Any red wine blended with significant portion of Pinotage. (The statutory minimum portion of a variety to be mentioned on the label is 20% according to the regulations set by the South African Wine & Spirits Board) Pinotage is a uniquely South African grape variety and was bred by the late Prof Perold in 1925 as a cross between Pinot noir and Cinsaut, then locally known as Hermitage.

A patriotic Cape blend must thus surely be infused with the pertinence of Pinotage.

Bordeaux Blend

The Fab Five
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot.  These five red grapes are the components of a classic Bordeaux blend. Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot usually play the lead role, while Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot act as the supporting cast. These three grapes help to add color, structure and body in varying amounts. A Bordeaux blend typically, but not exclusively, uses at least three of the five grapes to be labeled as such, but many wines in Bordeaux and else where stick to just two.

Rhone Blend

The Rhone region of France has a delightful selection of red varieties. The primary red players of Rhone blends are Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre.  Typical wines termed "rhone blends" will have two or more grapes from the Rhone region and occasionally, small percentages of the secondary varieties.

Rhone blends are often called "GSM" or "SGM" - using the initials of the grapes used, the most predominant variety being the first initial.

Winemakers also have great success with Shiraz & Viognier wine styles.

It is truly an art to get the percentages of the different cultivars exactly right and to be able to blend a wine that blows your hair back! Well done South Africa, we are so spoiled!