Sought after by European aristocrats and a favorite of Napoleon
Bonaparte, the sweet wines of Constantia in the Cape Colony were
considered to be among the world's best during the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries. During the first democratic elections in 1994,
South Africa began to re-emerge onto the international wine scene. Tim
James, an expert on South African wines, takes the reader on an
information-packed tour of the region, showing us how and why the unique
combination of terroir and climate, together with dramatic improvements
in winemaking techniques, result in wines that are once again winning
accolades. James describes important grape varieties and wine
styles--from delicate sparkling, to rich fortified, and everything in
between--including the varietal blends that produce some of the finest
Cape wines. Anchoring his narrative in a rich historical context, James
discusses all the major wine regions, from Cederberg to Walker Bay,
complete with profiles of more than 150 of the country's finest
producers.