Given its vast size and its turbulent history, you'd think it would have a much higher profile but, for many wine lovers, South Africa is an afterthought when it comes to wine, and especially quality wine.

Part of the reason for this is historical. For many years, South Africa was the source of cheap wines made from noble grapes bulked out with less-distinguished varieties. Colombard-Chardonnay blends were a popular, if bland, white wine offering, and Pinotage – a crossing of Cinsaut and Pinot Noir – offered a simple, slightly fruity red beverage.

There were also issues around price, as many of the wines were knocked out cheaply and not particularly carefully; the wine growers' cooperative KWV was more interested in quantity than quality. Trade sanctions placed on South Africa in the 1980s as a result of its apartheid policies further drove South African wines from the wider public consciousness.