Today, praise be to God. We made wine for the first time with Cape grapes.
On Feb. 2, 1659, Jan van Riebeeck, who led the Cape (now Cape Town) settlement of the Dutch East India Company (VOC), left this note in his diary. It was the moment when vine cuttings brought from Europe took root at the southern tip of the African continent and bore fruit as the first wine. The 367-year history of South African wine began that way.
At the time, wine at the Cape was not just a luxury. One of the diseases that plagued sailors on months-long voyages was scurvy, and back then people believed wine helped prevent it. The VOC established the Cape settlement to supply fresh provisions to ships traveling between Europe and Asia.
Starting in 1655, Van Riebeeck brought in vine cuttings from France, Spain, and elsewhere to plant. But growing grapes in an unfamiliar climate was not easy. A lack of experience led to trial and error, and although he urged farmers to plant vineyards, few were willing at first.
About four years after planting the vines, in Feb. 1659, they finally made the first wine from grapes grown at the Cape. The quantity was just over 14L. Even so, Van Riebeeck wrote "praise be to God" because it confirmed the possibility of growing grapes and making wine in a foreign land.
One of the early grape varieties believed to have arrived at the Cape at this time is "Chenin Blanc," now South Africa's representative white variety. Its home is the Loire Valley in France, but in South Africa it was called "Steen" for centuries.
Chenin Blanc was not treated as a premium variety from the start. In 1988 it accounted for 33.2% of South Africa's total vineyard area, but it had a strong image as a high-yield, mass-production grape.
Perceptions began to change in the 2000s. Producers who focused on old vines and site-specific soils reduced yields and made wines that highlighted vineyard character, bringing renewed attention to Chenin Blanc's potential. One region symbolizing that change is Swartland, north of Cape Town.
Swartland means "black land." The name comes from the local shrub "Renosterbos," which turns a dark color in summer, making the fields appear black. The region has a hot, dry climate and diverse soils including shale and sandstone, and old Chenin Blanc bush vines grown low without trellising remain scattered throughout.
Today Swartland is regarded as one of South Africa's leading wine regions, but long before it drew global attention, a producer making wine there was Swartland Winery.
The winery began in Aug. 1948 when 15 grape-growing farmers from the Malmesbury area gathered at the local cinema to form the "Swartland Cooperative." They wanted to press their own grapes into wine rather than rely on the "Cooperative Wine Growers of South Africa (KWV)," which wielded enormous influence in the local wine industry at the time.
By 1950, membership had grown to 48 and they received 2,500 tons (t) of grapes. In 1977, it became the first among South African cooperatives to bottle and sell wine under its own "Swartland" brand. Today it sources grapes from growers farming about 3,600 hectares (ha) and produces about 2 million bottles of wine annually.
The winery's line designed for more everyday enjoyment is "Founders." Among them, "Swartland Founders Chenin Blanc" is a dry white wine made from 100% Chenin Blanc.
The grape origin is not limited to Swartland. The official origin is the broader "Western Cape." The focus is on easy enjoyment of the abundant fruit character typical of South African Chenin Blanc.
Aromas of tropical fruits such as guava and mango combine with citrus notes reminiscent of lime zest. It is best served well chilled at 8–10 degrees and pairs well as an aperitif or with summer salads and sushi. Swartland Founders Chenin Blanc won the grand prize in the New World white wine institutional sector at the 2026 Korea Wine & Spirits Awards. The official importer in Korea is Hitejinro.