South African wine has been produced since 1659, when the first wine was produced by the Commander of the Cape, Jan van Riebeeck. Production is concentrated in the southwestern part of the country, with major vineyards and wineries at Paarl, Stellenbosch and Worcester.

The most common white varietals grown in decreasing order are Chenin Blanc, Colombard, Sultana (a grape also used for raisins and table grapes), Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc.

Popular red varietals include Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot and Pinotage.

A Wine of Origin system was implemented in 1973 with designated production regions, districts and wards. There are nearly 60 officially declared appellations. Many South African wine estates are national monuments because of their age and historical importance.

Dr. Abraham Izak Perold, the first Professor of Viticulture at the University of Stellenbosch, developed the Pinotage grape variety in 1925 through crossing Pinot Noir and Cinsault. Pinotage is a wine for which South Africa is well known.

Other notable varieties include Riesling, known in South Africa as Weisser Riesling; Crouchen, a French varietal known as "Cape Riesling", Trebbiano, an Italian grape known as "Ugni Blanc", and Muscat.