THE quality and status of Wine SA at its best is on the up and up, however the size of South Africa's wine industry is contracting – whether you're looking at production and sales or the number of farms and cellars. Of course, times are tough in all wine-producing countries. More good times are just around the corner, right?
Highlights of the 2020 statistics published by South Africa's Wine Industry Information & Systems (SAWIS) are given below, for the full reports see here and here, and for an international/OIV take on things, click here.
SA Wine Production, Sales
• Annual grape harvest: 1.2 million tons crushed (vs 1.2m in 2018, vs 1.4m in 2017, vs 1.4m in 2016, vs 1.4m in 2015)
• Annual wine production: 836.8 million litres (vs 824.3m in 2018, vs 918.7m in 2017, vs 898.4m in 2016, vs 968m in 2015)
• Annual sales, domestic: 387.6 million litres (417m in 2018, vs 435.6m in 2017, vs 436.9m in 2016, vs 425m in 2015), with 44.8% of still wine sales in glass, 11.8% in plastic, 39.7% bag-in-box, 3.6% in tetra pack
• Annual sales, export: 319.7 million litres (vs 420.2m in 2018, vs 448.4m in 2017, vs 428.4m in 2016, vs 420m in 2015), with 45.2% packaged and 54.7% sold in bulk
SA Wine Industry Structure
• Farms where grapes are grown for making wine: 2778 (vs 2873 in 2018, vs 3029 in 2017, vs 3145 in 2016, vs 3232 in 2015
• Farms registered for ‘Estate Wine’ production: 220 (vs 213 in 2018, vs 207 in 2017, vs 209 in 2016, vs 210 in 2015)
• Total number of wineries: 533 (vs 542 in 2018, vs 546 in 2017, vs 568 in 2016, vs 566 in 2015), with 224 crushing fewer than 100 tons of grapes, 158 crushing between 100 and 500 tons, 43 crushing between 500 and 1000 tons, 56 crushing between 1000 and 5000 tons, 15 crushing between 5000 and 10 000 tons, 37 crushing over 10 000 tons
• Wholesalers: 107 (vs 121 in 2018, vs 122 in 2017, vs 118 in 2016, vs 104 in 2015), including 28 producing wholesalers (vs 27 in 2018, vs 26 in 2017, vs 27 in 2016, vs 24 in 2015)
• Bulk wine buyers: 107 (79 without wineries)
• Co-operative wineries: 45 (vs 47 in 2018, vs 48 in 2017, 2016 and 2015)
• Independent wineries: 460 (vs 468 in 2018, vs 472 in 2017, vs 493 in 2016, vs 494 in 2015)
SA Vineyards and Cellars
Total area under vine, wine grapes: 92 067 hectares, vs 93 021ha in 2018, vs 94 545ha in 2017, vs 95 775ha in 2016, vs 98 594ha in 2015. These figures are in respect of municipality regions, which are not quite the same as areas to which Wine of Orgin certification applies.
• Stellenbosch: 15 066 hectares, 162 private cellars, 2 co-operative cellars
• Paarl: 14 607 hectares, 108 private cellars, 7 co-operative cellars
• Robertson: 12 731 hectares, 36 private cellars, 8 co-operative cellars
• Breedekloof: 12 593 hectares, 17 private cellars, 10 co-operative cellars
• Swartland: 12 432 hectares, 29 private cellars, 1 co-operative cellar
• Olifants River: 9 450 hectares, 12 private cellars, 3 co-operative cellars
• Worcester: 6 606 hectares, 10 private cellars, 8 co-operative cellars
• Northern Cape: 3 701 hectares, 11 private cellars, 2 co-operative cellars
• Cape South Coast: 2 656 hectares, 57 private cellars, 0 co-operative cellars
• Klein Karoo: 2 224 hectares, 18 private cellars, 4 co-operative cellars
SA Vineyards – White
Percentage of national vineyard: 55.5%
• Chenin Blanc: 18.6%
• Colombar(d): 11.5%
• Sauvignon Blanc: 10.5%
• Chardonnay: 7.3%
• Muscat d’Alexandrie: 1.7%
• Semillon: 1.1%
SA Vineyards – Red
Percentage of national vineyard: 44.5%
• Cabernet Sauvignon: 11%
• Shiraz: 10%
• Pinotage: 7.2%
• Merlot: 5.8%
• Ruby Cabernet: 2.2%
• Cinsaut: 1.8%
• Pinot Noir: 1.3%
SA Vineyards by District/Ward
Areas to which Wine of Orgin certification applies (98 437ha overall)
BREEDE RIVER VALLEY
Total area under vine: 31 945ha
Breedekloof
12 598ha under vine: Breërivier, Goudini, Rawsonville, Slanghoek
Most-planted white varieties: Chenin Blanc (2805ha), Colombar (1848ha), Sauvignon Blanc (1232ha), Chardonnay (817ha), Muscat d'Alexandrie (604ha), Semillon (392ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Pinotage (918ha), Shiraz (762ha), Cabernet Sauvignon (704ha), Merlot (622ha), Ruby Cabernet (526ha), Cinsaut (517ha)
Robertson
12 765ha under vine: Ashton (1310ha), Bonnievale (2613ha), McGregor (983ha), Robertson (7859ha)
Most-planted white varieties: Colombar (1998ha), Chardonnay (1683ha), Sauvignon Blanc (1597ha), Chenin Blanc (1512ha), Muscat Blanc (422ha), Nouvelle (137ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon (1313ha), Shiraz (874ha), Pinotage (719ha), Ruby Cabernet (588ha), Merlot (549ha), Pinot Noir (223ha), Red Muscadel (166ha)
Worcester
6 581ha under vine
Most-planted white varieties: Chenin Blanc (1900ha), Colombar (1182ha), Sauvignon Blanc (614ha), Chardonnay (444ha), Muscat d'Alexandrie (151ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Pinotage (389ha), Shiraz (375ha), Cabernet Sauvignon (272ha), Merlot (200ha), Ruby Cabernet (177ha)
CAPE SOUTH COAST
Total area under vine: 2 656ha
Cape Agulhas
289ha under vine: Elim, Gansbaai
Most-planted varieties: Sauvignon Blanc (120ha), Shiraz (73ha), Merlot (41ha)
Elgin
721ha under vine: Elgin, Grabouw
Most-planted white varieties: Sauvignon Blanc (270ha), Chardonnay (111ha), Riesling (27ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Pinot Noir (167ha), Shiraz (60ha), Cabernet Sauvignon (42ha), Merlot (33ha)
Plettenberg Bay
69ha under vine
Walker Bay
1 024ha under vine: Hemel-en-Aarde (397ha), Bot River (389ha), Stanford (95ha)
Most-planted white varieties: Sauvignon Blanc (263ha), Chardonnay (112ha), Chenin Blanc (49ha), Semillon (29ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Pinot Noir (144ha), Shiraz (140ha), Cabernet Sauvignon (72ha), Pinotage (50ha), Merlot (48ha)
COASTAL REGION
Total area under vine: 45 378ha
Cape Town
2 702ha under vine: Durbanville (1426ha), Philadelphia (590ha), Constantia/Tokai (437ha), Hout Bay and elsewhere in Cape Town (248ha)
Most-planted white varieties in Constantia: Sauvignon Blanc (188ha), Chardonnay (29ha), Muscat Blanc (27ha)
Most-planted red varieties in Constantia: Cabernet Sauvignon (38ha), Merlot (35ha), Shiraz (30ha)
Most-planted white varieties in Durbanville: Sauvignon Blanc (530ha), Chardonnay (76ha), Chenin Blanc (54ha)
Most-planted red varieties in Durbanville: Cabernet Sauvignon (201ha), Merlot (201ha), Shiraz (162ha), Pinotage (105ha)
Darling
2 750ha under vine
Most-planted white varieties: Sauvignon Blanc (583ha), Chenin Blanc (224ha), Chardonnay (136ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon (463ha), Shiraz (414ha), Pinotage (216ha), Merlot (208ha), Cinsaut (85ha), Pinot Noir (80ha), Cabernet Franc (61ha)
Franschhoek
1 227ha under vine
Most-planted white varieties: Chardonnay (190ha), Sauvignon Blanc (184ha), Semillon (78ha), Chenin Blanc (59ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon (180ha), Shiraz (153ha), Merlot (117ha), Pinot Noir (61ha)
Lutzville Valley
2 929ha under vine
Most-planted white varieties: Chenin Blanc (940ha), Colombar (710ha), Sauvignon Blanc (355ha), Muscat d'Alexandrie (113ha), Chardonnay (90ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Pinotage (144ha), Ruby Cabernet (138ha), Cabernet Sauvignon (115ha), Shiraz (92ha), Merlot (77ha)
Paarl
8 647ha under vine: Agter-Paarl (1683ha), Simonsberg (1357ha), Voor Paardeberg (1694ha), Elsewhere in Paarl (3913ha)
Most-planted white varieties: Chenin Blanc (1692ha), Chardonnay (636ha), Sauvignon Blanc (586ha), Viognier (149ha), Colombar (138ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon (1443ha), Shiraz (1306ha), Pinotage (809ha), Merlot (587ha), Cinsaut (361ha), Mourvèdre (93ha), Cabernet Franc (88ha), Petit Verdot (84ha)
Stellenbosch
Total area under vine: 12 358ha
Most-planted white varieties: Sauvignon Blanc (1657ha), Chenin Blanc (1218ha), Chardonnay (936ha), Viognier (107ha), Semillon (100ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon (2537ha), Shiraz (1653ha), Merlot (1432ha), Pinotage (1057ha), Cabernet Franc (347ha), Pinot Noir (253ha), Petit Verdot (181ha), Malbec (113ha)
BANGHOEK : 239ha under vine
Most-planted white varieties: Chardonnay (36ha), Sauvignon Blanc (23ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon (61ha), Shiraz (38ha), Merlot (29ha)
BOTTELARY : 2080ha under vine
Most-planted white varieties: Chenin Blanc (386ha), Sauvignon Blanc (236ha), Chardonnay (79ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon (358ha), Pinotage (265ha), Shiraz (253ha), Merlot (227ha), Cinsaut (55ha)
DEVON VALLEY : 485ha under vine
Most-planted white varieties: Sauvignon Blanc (91ha), Chardonnay (29ha), Pinot Gris (21ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Merlot (97ha), Cabernet Sauvignon (84ha), Shiraz (60ha), Pinotage (56ha)
JONKERSHOEK : 178ha under vine
Most-planted white varieties: Chardonnay (19ha), Sauvignon Blanc (18ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon (54ha), Merlot (19ha), Pinotage (18ha), Shiraz (18ha)
POLKADRAAI HILLS : 727ha under vine
Most-planted white varieties: Sauvignon Blanc (142ha), Chenin Blanc (59ha), Chardonnay (44ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon (140ha), Shiraz (115ha), Merlot (88ha), Pinotage (48ha), Cabernet Franc (26ha)
SIMONSBERG : 1223ha under vine
Most-planted white varieties: Sauvignon Blanc (159ha), Chardonnay (120ha), Chenin Blanc (48ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon (305ha), Merlot (170ha), Shiraz (118ha), Pinotage (111ha), Cabernet Franc (59ha)
Swartland
9 864ha under vine: Malmesbury (3312ha), Paardeberg & Paardeberg South (1505ha), Riebeekberg & Riebiekrivier (1043ha), St Helena Bay (33ha), Elsewhere in Swartland (3971ha)
Most-planted white varieties: Chenin Blanc (2249ha), Chardonnay (601ha), Sauvignon Blanc (574ha), Colombar (176ha), Viognier (109ha), Semillon (90ha), Grenache Blanc (58ha), Muscat d'Alexandrie (50ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Shiraz (1568ha), Cabernet Sauvignon (1284ha), Pinotage (1161ha), Merlot (515ha), Cinsaut (196ha), Mourvèdre (155ha), Grenache Noir (99ha), Malbec (99ha), Tinta Barocca (81ha), Petit Verdot (61ha), Ruby Cabernet (52ha)
Tulbagh
1 016ha under vine
Most-planted white varieties: Chenin Blanc (194ha), Colombar (95ha), Chardonnay (77ha), Sauvignon Blanc (61ha), Muscat Blanc (56ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Shiraz (125ha), Cabernet Sauvignon (91ha), Pinotage (53ha), Merlot (52ha), Pinot Noir (48ha)
Wellington
3 863ha under vine
Most-planted white varieties: Chenin Blanc (819ha), Chardonnay (316ha), Sauvignon Blanc (104ha), Colombar (88ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon (613ha), Shiraz (538ha), Pinotage (407ha), Merlot (255ha), Cinsaut (198ha), Petit Verdot (64ha), Grenache Noir (50ha)
KLEIN KAROO
2 130ha under vine: Montagu (945ha), Calitzdorp (293ha), Upper Langkloof (52ha), Langeberg-Garcia (43ha), Tradauw (30ha), Outeniqua (25ha), Cango Valley (9ha)
Most-planted white varieties: Colombar (680ha), Chenin Blanc (481ha), Muscat d'Alexandrie (125ha), Chardonnay (76ha), Sauvignon Blanc (72ha), Ugni Blanc (62ha), Muscat Blanc (61ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Red Muscadel (86ha), Ruby Cabernet (84ha), Shiraz (70ha), Cabernet Sauvignon (56ha), Merlot (48ha), Pinotage (41ha)
OLIFANTS RIVER
Total area under vine: 6 478ha
Citrusdal
657ha under vine: Citrusdal Mountain (581ha including Piekenierskloof (464ha)), Citrusdal Valley (84ha)
Most-planted white varieties: Chenin Blanc (115ha), Sauvignon Blanc (46ha), Palomino (46ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Pinotage (95ha), Grenache Noir (65ha), Shiraz (35ha), Cabernet Sauvignon (34ha), Cinsaut (27ha)
Spruitdrift
977ha under vine
Most-planted white varieties: Colombar (291), Chenin Blanc (253ha), Muscat (57ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Shiraz (87ha), Pinotage (64ha), Cabernet Sauvignon (62ha), Merlot (42ha)
Vredendal
3086ha under vine
Most-planted white varieties: Colombar (1057ha), Chenin Blanc (814ha), Muscat (102ha), Sauvignon Blanc (96ha), Chardonnay (62ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Shiraz (251ha), Pinotage (180ha), Cabernet Sauvignon (150ha), Ruby Cabernet (124ha), Merlot (97ha)
OTHER
Cederberg
101ha under vine
Most-planted white varieties: Chenin Blanc (17ha), Sauvignon Blanc (16ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Shiraz (18ha), Cabernet Sauvignon (12ha)
Central Drakensberg
15ha under vine
Central Orange River
8 641ha under vine
Most-planted white varieties: Colombar (1648ha), Chenin Blanc (795ha), Villard Blanc (174ha), Muscat d'Alexandrie (102ha), Muscat Blanc (28ha), Sauvignon Blanc (23ha)
Most-planted red varieties: Shiraz (48ha), Ruby Cabernet (34ha), Cabernet Sauvignon (27ha)
Ceres Plateau
52ha under vine
Douglas
44ha under vine
Hartswater
50ha under vine
Lions River
2ha under vine
Nieuwoudtville
20ha under vine
Prieska
133ha under vine
Prince Albert Valley
28ha under vine
Rietrivier FS
283ha under vine
St Francis Bay
4ha under vine
Swartberg
10ha under vine
Sutherland-Karoo
5ha under vine
SA Wine Exports
To United Kingdom: 77 million litres (47m in bulk), vs 104m (68m in bulk) in 2018, vs 107m (69m bulk) in 2017, vs 102m (66m bulk) in 2016
To Germany: 66 million litres (52m in bulk), vs 92m (76m in bulk) in 2018, vs 84m (65m bulk) in 2017, vs 79m (60m bulk) in 2016
To Netherlands: 21 million litres (4m in bulk), vs 20m (5m in bulk) in 2018, vs 23m (7m bulk) in 2017, vs 22m (7m in bulk) in 2016
To Sweden: 18 million litres (7m in bulk), vs 18m (5m in bulk) in 2018, vs 20m (6m bulk) in 2017, vs 20m (6m bulk) in 2016
To Russia: 18 million litres (12m in bulk), 18m (12m in bulk) in 2018, vs 24m (18m bulk) in 2017, vs 33m (28m bulk) in 2016
To Denmark: 16 million litres (12m in bulk), vs 20m (14m in bulk) in 2018, vs 20m (13m bulk) in 2017, vs 20m (14m in bulk) in 2016
To France: 15 million litres (almost all in bulk), vs 26m (25m in bulk) in 2018, vs 27m (26m bulk) in 2017, vs 28m (almost all in bulk) in 2016
To Belgium: 11 million litres (7m in bulk), vs 11m (6m in bulk) in 2018, vs 10m (6m bulk) in 2017
To USA: 10 million litres (1m in bulk), vs 13m (3m in bulk) in 2018, vs 27m (17m bulk) in 2017, vs 25m (15m bulk) in 2016
To Canada: 10 million litres (3m in bulk), vs 20m (12m in bulk) in 2018, vs 25m (17m bulk) in 2017, vs 28m (20m bulk) in 2016
To China: 6 million litres (almost none in bulk), vs 10m (2m in bulk) in 2018, vs 18m (9m bulk) in 2017
Wine Imports to SA
• Natural/Still Wine, Packaged (≤2L): 1.7 million litres, vs 0.9m in 2018, vs 1m in 2017, vs 0.9m in 2016
• Sparkling Wine, Packaged: 1.5 million litres, vs 1.4m in 2018, vs 0.9m in 2017, vs 1.1m in 2016
• Fortified Wine, Packaged (≤2L): 25 501 litres, vs 32 037 in 2018, vs 20 253 in 2017, vs 22 048 in 2016
• Still & Fortified Wine, Bulk: 32 million litres, vs 15m in 2018, vs 109 382 litres in 2017, vs 1280 litres in 2016
Drinks Consumption in SA
• Beer: 3.3 billion litres, vs 3.2bn in 2018, vs 3.2bn in 2017, vs 3.1bn in 2016 and 3.1bn in 2015
• Fruit Beverages & Spirit Coolers: 533 million litres, vs 507m in 2018, vs 461m in 2017, vs 431m in 2016, vs 447m in 2015
• Wine: 388 million litres (363m still, 14m fortified, 10m sparkling), vs 416m in 2018, vs 435m in 2017, vs 423m in 2016, vs 411m in 2015
• Spirits: 132 million litres (34m whisky, 30m brandy, 26m gin, 25m vodka), vs 130m in 2018, vs 127m litres in 2017 vs 121m in 2016, vs 119m in 2015
TOTAL: 4.4 billion litres, vs 4.2bn in 2018, vs 4.24bn in 2017, vs 4.16bn in 2016, vs 4.11 bn in 2015
