South Africa has been on my mind a lot over the course of the past few months. At the Society of Wine Educator’s conference this summer, Wines of South Africa did a big promotion for the organization and I was impressed with the wines and the materials. I remember very clearly the day that Nelson Mandela was freed and I was excited to think of how much the country had changed. I wrote this article for The Gourmet Retailer which was just published yesterday.
South Africa has gone through numerous changes in the past 20 years. Nelson Mandela was freed 19 years ago; peaceful democratic elections were held in 1994 and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission went a long way toward healing wounds post-apartheid; and South Africa has become a vibrant democracy with a lively tourist industry.
South Africa has been courting tourists for many years, primarily pushing its host of flora and fauna as the prime attraction. Things have changed, though, and South African food and wine have become a real draw. 2010 is expected to see even more change as South Africa hosts the first World Cup Soccer tournament in Africa.
Winemaking is not new to South Africa. The country has been producing wines since 1659. The year 2009 represented the 350th anniversary of the country’s winemaking tradition.
To read the rest of this article, please go to Gourmet Retailer’s website.
