Wine Estates of the Northern Cape

Northern Cape Wine Estates

The Northern Cape is both the largest and the most sparsely populated of the South African provinces. It measures an impressive 360 000 square kilometres (making it bigger than the whole of Germany), but is home to only about 800 000 inhabitants. This leaves the vast majority of the countryside unspoilt, maintaining a natural integrity that is quite magnificent. The landscape ranges from savannah and scrub to arid flatlands and rolling red sand dunes.

The north of this province is made up mainly of the Kalahari Desert, while the west is part of the Namaqualand, which is famous for its annual carpets of colourful blooms. The Orange River flows through the Northern Cape, playing an integral role in the irrigation system of the province.

With a completely different climate to the Cape Winelands, the Northern Cape produces a number of ranges of wines that boast unique flavours. The wine farms in the east have soils with a higher natural acid content and a lower pH level, which results in wines that are crisp and refreshing. The cellars in central and west Northern Province have more full-bodied wines, on the other hand. Famous labels from the area include River's Tale, Wozani and Oranjerivier.