Hail the hybrids
· 1 min read
Most of the wine grape varieties we know and love come from the European species Vitis vinifera. Hybrid cultivars break the mould by crossing different Vitis species.
To read more, get our digital or print magazine here.
More from
Markets, business and trade
Hong Kong’s wine fair: What is in it for South African exporters?
As the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair prepares for its 2026 edition, South African producers have an opportunity to assess a market that offers more than local wine sales. But does Hong Kong still hold the same promise as a gateway to Asia?
A small but mighty global player
South Africa may not top the charts of global wine production, but its footprint on the world stage is far larger than its size suggests. According to 2025 data from the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) and the South African Wine Industry Information and Systems (SAWIS), the…
What happens on farms may hold the key to the future of South African vineyards
South African wine producers have access to more climate data than ever before. Weather stations, satellite imagery, forecasting models and farm records are all adding to the picture. A recent South Africa Wine and TerraClim Fireside Chat focused on another important source of information: the…