364 Years of Wine Excellence

Every year on the 2nd of February for the past 364 years, South Africans and all South African wine lovers have been able to celebrate the birthday of the South African Wine Industry. It is not every country, frankly it's not any country, that can claim a specific day as their Wine Industry's birthday.

In fact, had it not been for Jan van Riebeeck making a diary entry on the 2nd of February 1659 reading: 'Today, praise be to God, wine was made for the first time from Cape grapes.' we probably would not have known any better.

Luckily, old Jan wrote that down and we have a day to celebrate what, in my humble and biased opinion, is the Wine Country with the best wines available.

Over the past 364 years, the industry and the country has seen a lot of growth and suffering, it's seen fads come and go, it's seen legends, it's produced legends - both in the way of wines and winemakers.

So today, pour yourself a glass of your favourite South African wine and celebrate what we have.

Cheers to another 364 years of Wine Excellence!