South African wine has a rich history that dates back to 1659 when the first bottle was produced in Cape Town by its founder and governor, Jan van Riebeeck. The opening of international markets led to increased investment in the South African wine industry. Wine production is concentrated around Cape Town and is almost exclusively located within the Western Cape province, with major vineyard and production centers in Constantia, Paarl, Stellenbosch, and Worcester.

The country has around 60 appellations under the Wine of Origin (WO) system, established in 1973. This system includes a hierarchy of designated production regions, districts, and wards. WO wines must be made entirely from grapes grown in the specified area of origin. “Single vineyard” wines must come from a defined area of less than 6 hectares. An “Estate Wine” can be sourced from adjacent farms, provided they are farmed together and the wine is produced on-site. A ward is an area with distinctive soil or climate characteristics, roughly equivalent to a European appellation.