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All WO (Wines of Origin) certified wines from January 2009 will display this sign, which also signals the celebrations that will continue throughout the year.
"Heeden is, Gode loff, vande Caepse druyven d'eerste mael wijn geparst," reads the diary entry of Jan van Riebeeck on February 2, 1659. This is the Dutch original of "Today, praise be to God, wine was pressed for the first time from Cape grapes, and the new must was tested fresh from the vat."
Jan van Riebeeck landed at the Cape in South Africa in 1652 with his wife to establish a settlement on behalf of the Dutch East India Company. He imported vines from France, Germany and Spain, that first arrived in 1655.
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Sunset at Groot Constantia- the oldest wine farm in South Africa
Photo By :: Subhash Arora
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Planted in the gardens of the Company, the first pressing of grapes was carried out on this day, though the wine making became a reality with the founding of Groot Constantia, the oldest wine farm that dates back to 1685. In that year Simon van der Stel, the popular commander and later governor of the Cape, was granted land for a farm, which he named Constantia. He is also credited with starting the winemaking in Stellenbosch in 1679.
Groot Constantia is hosting 350 Year Celebration commemorating the contribution made by many nations and cultures to the development of the South African wine industry through a private lunch on February 2, where the invitees will be greeted by 'Jan van Riebeeck and his wife' who will welcome the guests on arrival. Speeches will be held with the unveiling of a memorial stone. A luncheon is being organised in the garden leading to the Manor House with top dignitaries and Ambassadors from various countries.
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| Vergelegan Wine Estate founded in 1700 in Somerset West |
Swartland Wine Route is celebrating the 350th anniversary of winemaking in the Cape with a themed gala dinner at the historic Allesverloren wine estate in Riebeek West on Saturday, 31 January (today).
There are several free winery tours and wines throughout the wine making regions from 30th Jan-Feb 2 after which date, special events are being planned.
delWine congratulates the wine producers, marketers and consumers, who have carried on the tradition of winemaking in South Africa with a big booster shot in 1994, when the country signalled the end of Apartheid and became a free commonwealth nation, We wish them even better quality and marketing success globally and especially in India where value-for-money quality wines would be even more welcome in the times to come- Editor |