Voor Paardeberg is a small grape-growing area 10 miles (16km) north of Paarl in the Western Cape region of South Africa. It is one of the newest additions to the nation's Wine of Origin (WO) scheme, which it joined in 2006. The hot, dry growing conditions here are perfect for Shiraz. A Rhône-like style of winemaking is employed, creating complex, hefty wines with a balance between fruit and spice characters.
The vineyards of Voor Paardeberg stretch up the south-eastern slopes of the Paardeberg inselberg, a rocky outcrop of granite about 22 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean. While the area is hot and dry, the influence of the western coast and the prevailing southerly winds mean temperatures here are on average 5 degrees cooler than Paarl in the summer months.
While red varieties such as Shiraz, Pinotage and Cabernet Sauvignon thrive on all parts of Voor Paardeberg’s landscape, Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc typically prefer vineyards located higher up on the slopes. These estates are subject to a greater diurnal temperature variation, where the much colder nights give the berries time to cool down and retain their acidity and freshness. The higher vineyards also benefit from shade later in the day, which protects them from the harsh late-afternoon sun. These temperature-moderating factors mean that the wines of Voor Paardeberg, while still robust and aromatically intense, are often slightly brighter and fresher than their Paarl counterparts.
Vineyards high on the mountain benefit from well-drained, potassium-rich soils composed almost entirely of granite. Potassium is an important nutrient for vine health, which – coupled with deep root systems – makes for healthy, strong vines. Further down the slopes clay, shale and granite all contribute to a slightly lesser-quality soil makeup.
In the early 21st Century, there are only eight wineries producing Voor Paardeberg wine. However, if the high quality of the wine produced there is anything to go by, this is likely to increase.
