Although South Africa is considered a New World wine producer, the first wine was pressed from Cape grapes on 2 February 1659 – exactly 350 years ago.

And we have none other to thank than Jan van Riebeeck, who imported the first vines from France in 1655.

Today, praise be to God, wine was pressed from Cape grapes for the first time, van Riebeeck noted in his diary in 1659.

According to an article by Neil Pendock in the Sunday Times Food and Wine supplement of 1 February 2009, New Zealand by comparison, has been making wine for only a generation, while Australia only received its first vines from Groot Constantia in the 19th century.

To celebrate this remarkable legacy, the Constantia Valley Association is celebrating at the Constantia Uitsig Wine Estate on Sunday 8 February, with the second annual Crush on Constantia.

Eight of the valleys wine farms (Constantia Uitsig, Buitenverwachting, High Constantia, Groot Constantia, Steenberg, Eagles Nest, Klein Constantia and Constantia Glen) will partake in the celebration, and members of the public have been invited to participate in these festivities.

Tickets are R150 per person. Gates will open at 11.30am on the day.

Contact Jooles Pienaar at jooles@constantiavalley.com or call 082 332 7844.

– For the Times article, click here.
– More information at www.southafricanwine350.co.za