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South Africa is an important wine producing country with most of its major wine regions occupying the southernmost tip of the African continent. The heart of the country's wine industry lies in and around the Cape Peninsula and the Coastal region. This location exposes the regions to the maritime influences of both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Overall, the climate can be termed as Mediterranean which is marked by dry heat and intense sunlight. This feature, along with other growing conditions and a long tradition of quality winemaking, reflects in the wine styles produced in the country.
A significant development in the South African wine industry has been the enforcement of the 'Wines of Origin' (WO) program which legislates the way wine regions in the country are defined and appear on wine labels. One of the main features of this law is that a wine stating a WO on the label must be made exclusively from the grapes grown in that designated area.
South Africa is one of the few wine growing countries which demonstrates a mix of 'Old' and 'New World' cultures when it comes to the styles of wine produced. While the sparkling and majority of the still wines follow New World winemaking practices, there are many well known fortified and dessert wines that are more in line with their Old World counterparts.
A diverse range of grapes are grown throughout South Africa's wine producing regions. Chenin Blanc (locally known as Steen) and Chardonnay top the whites list whereas Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah are notable reds. Pinotage is another important variety that produces a signature style in South Africa.
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