Wine Country

July 28th, 2009 by admin, under Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Colombat, Muscadel, Pinot Noir, Pinotage, Red wine, Riesling, Ruby Cabernet, Savignon, Shiraz, White wine, Wine Varieties, Wines. No Comments

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Wine Country

Wine Country

What is the most popular grape cultivar produced on earth? Where is it from? Where does the South African wine industry feature on the worldwide wine map? Is Pinotage such a groundbreaking wine?

All these questions and more, answered right here.

In South Africa, our largest production most famous wine grape cultivars are Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Colombar. A much larger portion of the South African terroir is conducive to the growing of these grapes.

But, I believe this has created an enormous mis-perception of wine producers and top grape cultivars globally among the general wine loving people in SA.

You see, many of you would be profoundly surprised to learn that the top wine grape cultivar in the world is Airén, a white wine grape grown predominantly in Spain.

It amounts to roughly 30% of all wine grapes grown in Spain and spans a massive 756 000 hectares. [The Airén vine has an unusually low vine density (around 1500 vines per hectare), and so its vineyards cover more area than any other grape variety in the world.]

This should explain its ability to outrank a popular cultivar such as Cabernet Sauvignon, second largest grape cultivar in the world spanning 701 000 hectares across predominantly France, Chile and the USA.

How does South African wine grape production size compare with the world? Let’s see. Our top cultivar, Chenin Blanc, spans across 19 100 hectares across mainly Worcester, Malmesbury and Paarl. In 20th position on the world wine grape cultivar list, Cataratto Bianco Comune spans across 107 200 hectares. [Quality over quantity, right?]

While South Africa’s industry is very small, ranking in at only 16th with about 1.5% of global plantings it is our production and quality that sees us at 7th position, accounting for 3% of the world’s wine.

What are the white vs. red wine grapes by area ratio? In the top 20 wine grape cultivars in the world by area, 9 of the wine grapes are white wine grapes, while 11 are red wine grapes. In the top 10, 4 are white wine grapes and 6 are red wine grapes.

Another thing I think that would have the general public confused is the perception that Pinotage is our main export to the international market. Yes, we were the first to introduce Pinotage to the world, but in terms of production, Pinotage, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut (grown under the name of Hermitage in South Africa) ranks a mere 8th on the top 20 cultivars in South Africa with Cinsaut individually ranking at 10th and Pinot Noir a mere 18th spanning only 577 hectares.

www.woodenwineracks.co.za

Wines of South Africa

July 28th, 2009 by admin, under Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Colombat, Muscadel, Pinot Noir, Pinotage, Red wine, Riesling, Ruby Cabernet, Savignon, Shiraz, White wine, Wine Racks, Wine Stands, Wine Varieties, Wines. No Comments

Wines of South Africa

Wines of South Africa

All the cultivars used in South Africa belong to the Vitis vinifera species which was originally imported from Europe. Although most of the cultivars cultivated locally today were originally imported, various unique South African cultivars created by crossing varietals have been released. The best known is the red variety Pinotage, which is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. Also attracting attention is the white variety Nouvelle, a crossing of Semillon and Crouchen Blanc (better known as Cape Riesling).

Approximately 75 cultivars have been approved for the production of Wines of Origin. Each cultivar has specific characteristics regarding its adaptability to the soil and climate, and the suitability of its fruit for the production of a wine with a specific style or of a specific quality. There is thus a close relationship between the cultivar, origin and the wine itself.

The use of the name of a grape cultivar on a label is authorised in terms of the Wine of Origin Scheme and only the cultivar names attached may be used. The name of a grape cultivar may be used if 75% (85% from 1 January 2006) of the content of the wine originates from that cultivar. It is prescribed that, if a wine is to be exported to the European Union, 85% of its content has to be from that specific cultivar.

www.woodenwineracks.co.za

Vineyard Varieties

July 28th, 2009 by admin, under Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Red wine, Savignon, Shiraz, White wine, Wine Varieties, Wines. No Comments

Vineyard Varieties

Vineyard Varieties

In keeping with the spirit of renewal in the South African wine industry, in recent years over 40% of the vineyards have been replanted as the industry has realigned its product to compete globally, moving from volume production to noble cultivars and quality wines. South African vineyards have been dominated by white grape varieties but the trend now is towards a more market-driven balance between white and red.

Some of our oldest grape varieties (also called cultivars) date back to ancient times and were developed from wild vines. The original wild vine belongs to the genus Vitis and it is generally accepted that it was cultivated for the first time in Asia Minor, south of the Caspian and Black seas.

All the wine grape varieties cultivated in South Africa, which were originally imported from Europe, belong to the species Vitis vinifera. Unfortunately the roots of European vines are susceptible to an insect disease called phylloxera and, in order to avoid it, they are often grafted onto American rootstock which is largely resistant to the insect.

A vine yields its first crop after three years and is fully productive after five. On average, the South African vineyard is replaced after 25 years but this depends on factors such as the area in which it is situated and how heavily it has yielded. Generally, its lifespan may be anything between 15 and 30 years although vines as old as 100 years still in production can be found.
South African wine

The vine is a remarkable plant which lends itself to selection, propagation and grafting factors which make possible a continuous improvement in both plant and quality. Although most of the vine varieties cultivated here today were originally imported, up to now six local crossings have been released. The best known of these is a red variety, Pinotage, a hybrid of Pinot Noir and Hermitage (Cinsaut), which is cultivated locally on a fairly large scale.
Grape Varieties

Noble varieties which have been cultivated increasingly in the past few years include Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, which produce top-class white wines, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Pinot Noir. A significant proportion of our red wine vineyards are currently very young – 52% are under 10 years old.

The Worcester Region has the most vineyard plantings (19% of all vines), followed by Paarl and Stellenbosch (17%), Robertson (14%), Malmesbury (12 %), Olifants River (9%), Orange River (9%) and Little Karoo (3%).

The Worcester Region also produces the most wine (26%), followed byOlifants River (16%), Robertson (15%), Paarl (13 %), Stellenbosch (10%), Orange River (9%), Malmesbury (8%) and Little Karoo (3,9 %).

www.woodenwineracks.co.za

Wine Cellar Innovations

July 28th, 2009 by admin, under Wine Racks, Wine Stands, Wooden Wine Racks, Wooden Wine Stands. No Comments

Wine Cellar Innovations

Wine Cellar Innovations

Wine Cellar Innovations Today

Wine Cellar Innovations employs 312 dedicated
individuals, bringing the best possible service to all of our
customers. For almost 21 years we have been the world’s
foremost designer & manufacturer of custom wine cellars
and wine racks. Our 350,000 square foot facility gives us
the ability to manufacture everything for your cellar in one
place at a low cost. This allows us to pass that savings on
to our customers. We will work with you from the very
beginning of your project down to the last detail to finish
the job to your complete satisfaction.

Our knowledgeable and experienced sales team will
ensure that you have everything you need to solve all of
your wine storage needs.

Our Design department will create exactly the racking
system you ask for with several different design
packages to choose from. Our 3D color drawings
and 3D Virtual Reality create bold and dramatic
representations with an emphasis on the total wine
cellar enviornment.

Add elegant touches with our wide variety of custom
cellar art.

Take advantage of our factory certified
installers who have completed wine cellars
around the world to ensure the best possible
installation of your racking system.

Our commitment of providing great service
along with a quality product make Wine Cellar
Innovations the perfect choice for your
wine cellar needs.

www.woodenwineracks.co.za

Echelon Wine Racks

July 28th, 2009 by admin, under Modern wine racks, Unique wine racks, Wine Racks, Wine Stands. No Comments

Echelon Wine Racks

Echelon Wine Racks

This is a unique solution to bottle storage. The elegant flow of this modular system is ideal for locations where appearance and presentation matter – restaurants and wine stores, clubs and bars, kitchens and home cellars.

The racks are made from extruded aluminium and coated with a natural satin anodising. It is a compact system with a capacity of over 90 bottles per square metre. For a detailed description go to How It Works

Cabinet makers and joiners find the system convenient because they can simply build a rectangular carcass – the racks are then assembled on site and slid into the recess.

At Echelon we strive to be practical. We believe that the simplest designs are often the best. Excellence in design is about finding the elegant solution – but it is also about manufacturing the product in an affordable and sustainable way. Cost efficiency is as important as form and function.

Rohan Macarthur-Onslow is the company principal. Rohan has been involved in product design since 1992 and prior to that he gained practical experience in the field of motor sport. Aside from customer projects, he has, through the development of proprietary products, gained skills and knowledge in areas as diverse as intellectual property, product marketing and distribution.

Contributors

William Rhodes is an industrial designer and grazier based in Tasmania. William is the designer of our modular wine rack. His use of aluminium extrusion is a fine example of applying existing manufacturing techniques in an innovative way to create a beautiful product. The wine rack is patented in the US with other patents pending. Detail design and engineering of the wine rack was conducted by Echelon.

Vanessa Gillan is a graphic designer based in Singapore. When Vanessa could not find an attractive rack to hang her coat and accessories – she set out to rectify the problem. She teamed with Echelon to find a solution. This collaboration resulted in our wall mounted and free standing coat racks. Vanessa also designed our company logo.

www.woodenwineracks.co.za

Wrought Iron Wine Racks – Mr. Vinerack

July 22nd, 2009 by admin, under Wine Racks, Wine Stands. No Comments

Wrought Iron Wine Racks – Mr. Vinerack

Wrought Iron Wine Racks - Mr.Vinerack

Welcome fellow wine lovers.

Thank you for browsing  the Vineyard of Vine Racks by Larry Stern.  I have designed these wine racks with a unique twist and soft natural grape vine curves.   The Vine Rack will  hold  a collection of wine and be a pleasant addition to any wall.

An idea:

I owned a  liquor store and gave customers  items I received from Beer, Liquor and Wine Distributors.  Of all the items given out, wine racks were returned.   Commercial wine racks are made of  steel wire and  not very artistic.  Certainly not a hit with the families’ decor at home.  Not decorative or very unattractive I was told.  Another  reason was being unstable on carpet.  While discarding the returns, the idea to make a fool proof wine rack came to me.  An aesthetic wine storage system from  steel that will not fall over, fits any size home and  takes up no floor space.

Learning Process:

Now that I had the idea, how do I get started?   How do I learn to make wrought iron wine racks?  I began by asking my customers .  Welders, craftsman and equipment suppliers.  Pat Lanenbau from Williamstown, NJ, a welder for many years with a trailer company taught me welding techniques, how to weld blind with a helmet, and loaned me the Lincoln Stick Welding machine.  When I became a more accomplished welder, Bill Masters from Mt. Laurel, NJ informed me about the Clarke MIG Welder.  I bought it and he taught me how to use it.  Bill Russell is the genius behind the the web site.  He has been graciously donating his professional time to help me for many years.  Guests at the WWW. MRVINERACK.COM web site are the beneficiary of his work.   And, Hobart Welding Products who published my craft in the Hobart Welding Institute magazine,” World of Welding”.

www.woodenwineracks.co.za

Wine By Me

July 22nd, 2009 by admin, under Wine Racks, Wine Stands, Wines, Wooden Wine Racks, Wooden Wine Stands. No Comments

Wine By Me

Wine By Me

Wine racks are essential to your wine collection. Without wine racks where would you store your wine? You could just pack various refrigerators down with wine but then how would you find it? In this article I am going to help you figure out your options. Should you use a wine cellar or simply use wine racks?

Figuring out which you need can be done in a few easy steps. First how many bottles of wine are you going to store? Then how quickly do you drink wine you are storing? Lets start with these two questions to begin with. Decide how many bottles you will be collecting and plan for the future.

If you currently have 25 bottles of wine in your small collection but hope to add 10-20 bottles of wine a month don’t go small. Always plan out what you’ll need and go larger. Nothing is more troubling for me than having wine strewn about the floor while I decide my next move while tripping over wine trying to install the new wine racks when I should have had them to begin with. So if you need a 100 bottle rack go for the 175 bottle rack. Buy new racks well before you fill the old ones up. Figure in how quickly you drink the wine. If you drink it fast then large scale racks might not be the way to go. If you drink it slowly larger sturdier racks may be for you. Other options to consider for your wine collection include a wine room. If you have a wine room then the solution is simple; add your wine racks to your wine room. Although make sure the wine room has a proper cooling system and is out of the sun light; cool wine lasts longer. If you don’t have a wine room but want to store wine for a prolonged period I suggest a wine cellar.

Wine cellars are really not that expensive for what they provide you with. They not only provide racks already installed but they also provide cooling and prolonged storage capability. The cooling unit inside of a wine cellar keeps wine stored at the best possible setting for as many years as you need. You control your wines settings and temperature.

All said and done you decide what is best for your and your collection. If you only collect a few bottles and only keep them for a couple of years before consumption then a plain or decorative 30 bottle rack will do what you need. Also small amounts like that will not require cooling as long as your plan is to store them for short amounts of time at room temperature and away from the sun.

www.woodenwineracks.co.za

Odyssey Wine Furniture and Wine Racks

July 22nd, 2009 by admin, under Wine Racks, Wine Stands, Wooden Wine Racks, Wooden Wine Stands. No Comments

Odyssey Wine Furniture and Wine Racks

Odyssey Wine Racks and Furniture

About us
Odyssey Wine Furniture  provides a
unique alternative to storing and displaying
your wine collection. Our design is based on
an equilateral triangle that holds six standard
bottles. This creates an efficient and
effective Wine Rack solution. From the
Odyssey Wine Furniture Factory in Cape
Town, we have been dispatching wine racks
around Southern Africa and into parts of
Europe for over 10 years.
*
We design it
*
We manufacture it
*
We market it
*
We sell it
*
We dispatch it
*
You build it

www.woodenwineracks.co.za

Oak Rustic Wine Racks Cape Town

July 22nd, 2009 by admin, under Wine Racks, Wine Stands, Wooden Wine Racks, Wooden Wine Stands. No Comments

Oak Rustic Wine Racks Cape Town

Oak Rustic Wine Racks Cape Town

THE HISTORY of RUSTIC WINE RACKS:

In 2005 the first RUSTIC WINE RACK operation was opened in South Africa – it continues operating as in the past…. contact details on these web pages….

In 2009 a branch was opened in France – it is called CAVES RUSTIQUES and it is based in Provence in France, 31 km from St. Tropez.

To connect to the French operation – please tel 00 33 647055616 or e-mail jacques.vins@yahoo.com OR click on www.cavesrustique.fr

Timeless wine racks of character

New and unique, Rustic Wine Racks WILL ENHANCE your cellar space and provide SECURE STORAGE for your wine collection.

Wine rack sizes vary from ` mini ` 12 bottle wine racks to those that hold over two-hundred bottles – they are FREE-STANDING and have ADJUSTABLE FEET!

The racks are about 1 meter `wide` and have a width the length of a bottle of wine – so they do not take much space!

Also available :- Cheese boards and OTHER INTERESTING ITEMS …… scroll to VIEW IMAGES BELOW.

Made from 150 YEAR OLD OAK imported from France and the USA, the wine racks and other items are made by hand – yet are surprisingly good value [ NO middle-men - you are buying directly from the manufacturer ].

Rustic Wine Racks are EXTREMELY STRONG, most with adjustable `shelving` to accomodate magnums and champagne bottles.

Most of the wine racks are available in `flat-pack` format for easy and economical transportation – easily moveable even when in position – [Free transportation quotations provided on request]

Rustic Wine Racks are ideal ROOM or CELLAR DIVIDERS – Even erected, they can easily be moved.

Unique in design AND PRACTICALITY, Rustic Wine Racks will ENHANCE your `wine space` or cellar AND PROVIDE economic wine storage space.

www.woodenwineracks.co.za

Wine Racks

May 12th, 2009 by admin, under Wine Racks, Wine Stands, Wooden Wine Racks, Wooden Wine Stands. No Comments

Wine Racks

Wine Racks

Visit our site at www.woodsmart.co.za

www.woodenwineracks.co.za

For more information mail us at info@woodenwineracks.co.za

Woodsmart is a well-established company with an exclusively designed range of high quality products. Our products range from the most stylish CD, DVD, Video and Audio Visual Storage cabinets to some of the finest furniture pieces, made with a combination of quality hardwoods and veneers.

Through specialization, dedicated product lines, and a positive attitude to specific client needs, we are able to produce some of the finest superbly crafted items that will enhance any home for years to come.

Our factory situated in Vanderbijlpark, has the capabilities of delivering any order, big or small, directly to the public or to retailers. We deliver in the Gauteng area, and delivery of larger orders outside Gauteng can be arranged.

Furniture can also be custom-made to suite customer’s needs. Our comprehensive range of products is available through retailers and ordering.

If you do not see what you are looking for please contact us and enquire about other products available

Visit our site at www.woodsmart.co.za

www.woodenwineracks.co.za

For more information mail us at info@woodenwineracks.co.za