South African wine: 'I've just returned home from South Africa - here are some of the best wines I tried'

That means they are not just turning their backs on some of the best flavours and best values on the wine shelves but also ignoring the fabulous strides forward that this country has made in the last 30 years.

I have just come back from the Cape; a place I have visited dozens of times in recent decades and the changes I have seen since then have been outstanding.

The quality of the wines has improved dramatically, to the point where top wines can stand comparison with famous names from Bordeaux, Burgundy and California, at much lower prices.

But one impressive change is the number of black and coloured faces I saw while I was there.

Winemakers, sales people, winery owners and tasting room staff, all of them were competent, business-like people.

I make no apology for using the words ‘black’ and ‘coloured’ because in in South Africa they are perfectly acceptable.

It denotes groups of people who decades ago might have been substantially disadvantaged.

Let’s hope that one day, these terms become unnecessary as opportunities even out across the population of this beautiful land.

Mentorship programmes, opening up of schools, universities and just plain hard work are behind these changes. Here are some who are doing just that.

Inzuzo

“It was difficult getting into Stellenbosch University to study viticulture. I was just at the local school, so I had to work really hard to get my grades. Then once I was there, I realised I had to work even harder.”

Kaylin Willscott grew up in the Sir Lowry’s Pass village, which sounds very grand, being named after a former Governor or the Cape, but it an unremarkable place with high unemployment.

Kaylin was fortunate enough to be selected for the Cape Winemakers’ Guild mentorship programme which led to internships at various wine companies.

Later on, it was her job as winemaker at Journey’s End that opened up an opportunity to help youngsters in her own village.

The project is called ‘Inzuzo’ which means ‘benefit’ in Zulu, and it all starts with art.

Many disillusioned young people drop out of school because of the lack of prospects. Inzuzo encourages them to turn up to paint art on walls and buildings, with permission of the owners, of course.

From there they are encouraged back into school.

The money raised by the Inzuzo wine project, which is 51% owned by winery workers at Journey’s End, is uplifting the structure and equipment in the school.

And the art from the walls is on the labels of the wine, which will soon be on the shelves in a large supermarket in Yorkshire.

Contracts are agreed but not yet signed so I’ll let you know when the bottles arrive. I have tasted the wines, and this is definitely not a ‘charity’ wine.

The flavours are terrific and great value.

If you go to the Cape this winter, you can tour the village and see the original art. Check www.inzuzo.com

Tesselaarsdal

“I really don’t know how she has the time for her own wine, but it is terrific that she does,” said Anthony Hamilton Russell, when I caught up with him on the Cape Wine exhibition stand next to Berene Sauls’ Tesselaarsdal.

Berene’s path to having her own wine brand started way down the pay scale, as an au pair in the Hamilton Russell household.

He makes some of South Africa’s best Pinot Noir and once he spotted Berene’s talent and dedication to the idea of making her own wine, he set up a mentorship scheme to help her learn more.

Gradually, she moved to the winery and learnt about wine, viticulture and eventually became an assistant winemaker.

Now she has her own brand, Tesselaarsdal, named after her village a few miles beyond Hemel-en-Aarde, which was once a home for freed slaves.

Now she has bought a vineyard to supply her own grapes while her son Darren, will join her in the Tesselaarsdal project once he has finished his winemaking studies. The recent vintages are showing well.

Tesselaarsdal Chardonnay 2024 is part fermented in amphora and has delicious fruit with direct, clean freshness while the 2024 Pinot Noir has elegance, balance and a refined, long finish.

Finding her wines is difficult ever since they became a vital addition to any top restaurant wine list. Try Lay and Wheeler and Hedonism at around £46.

Bosman and Amandla

After working the same large piece of land as a vine nursery and vineyard for eight generations, since 1798, the Bosman family had an amazing idea.

Not only had their own family been on the same land, but the families of their workers had also lived there too.

That was when a decision was made to share a substantial proportion of the assets of the farm with the workers to provide security, education, medical care and other benefits.

They even have a retirement home.

Out of this initial structure, another company has been set up to create an all-black, all female team who make wine under the name Amandla.

This is a fun brand of wine, run by a determined team which is headed up by Praisy Dlamini. The wines are made in a large, shiny, up-to-date winery and the quality is good.

My favourite is the Amandla Shiraz Zinfandel, currently on offer at Waitrose, down from £10 to £8 until 28 October. Find other Amandla wines at Tesco.

Creation

Owned and run by husband-and-wife team, Jean-Claude Martin from Alsace and Carolyn from South Africa, this is a fabulous estate at the top of the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge where they make mainly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wine, with a few additions such as Viognier Roussanne and Sauvignon Semillon blends.

They also run a tasting room and a restaurant which serves, in my opinion, the best lunch in the southern hemisphere.

To do this they need a lot of staff and part of the uplift that Creation give to their community is hospitality training to local young people who can then go on to skilled careers.

Find Creation Wines at www.shop.creationwines.co.uk