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South Africa's wines and the wine routes.

That well known hedonist King Edward VII famously developed a taste for South African wines, particularly when he was The Prince of Wales, while Napoleon is said to have quaffed it to console himself while he was in exile. The flavour and quality of the renowned Cape wines continue to exert a strong international appeal and with good reason.

White wines, with their fresh fruity elegance, are the best established. Popular grapes are Chenin Blanc, Cape Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. The reds, however, are full-bodied with a distinct bouquet. Leading red varieties are Cinsaut, Pinotage, Pinot Noir, Shiraz and right at the top of the league, Cabernet Sauvignon, which produces wine which more than merits being laid down for at least 10 years.

"The natural habitat in the Cape is more than favourable," observed wine expert Hugh Johnson, a view shared by virtually all South African wine producers. The winter rainfall and Mediterranean climate of the Cape, together with its rich, fertile top and sub-soils, ensure the growth of strong and healthy vines - ideal conditions found in few other places in the world.

Jan van Riebeeck, the first Commander of the Cape, recognised the remarkable potential of viticulture shortly after he established a base at Table Bay in 1652 to supply the fast increasing number of ships voyaging around the area, badgering his superiors at the Dutch East India Company to supply him with vine cuttings from France, Germany and Spain. His persistence paid off, when less than seven years after he had arrived at the Cape he was able to write in his diary on February 2, 1659: "Today, so praise be to God, wine was pressed from Cape grapes for the first time." The rest, as they say is history - and very tasty history at that. Cheers!