Background

The African sky is both flawless and unforgettable. By day it is an endless dome of the bluest blue imaginable. By night it is like a canopy of black velvet on which the stars sparkle like scattered diamonds. So remarkably clean is this sky that astronomers from all over the world study the heavens from the observatory near the Karoo town of Sutherland, some 320 km from Cape Town.

A UNIQUE WINE-GROWING REGION

But it is not only the pure, clean air that influences the wines of this region. The coastal region of the Cape of Good Hope also benefits from a temperate climate with prevailing breezes from the sea during the day and chilly nights that refresh the grapes in summer. The white varietal grapes are grown close to the ocean, or in cool valleys, thereby greatly enhancing their flavour. Some of the red varieties are grown deeper inland, where they develop their character and structure.

The vines and grapes enjoy the best possible conditions during the growing and ripening season, with an abundance of sunlight and crisp, pure air. As a result of the variety of slopes and valleys, wines with great individuality and character are produced.

Not surprisingly, the coastal region is known as one of the finest wine-growing areas in the world today.

A FITTING TRIBUTE

On a clear evening in the Cape Winelands at 298 degrees longitude, where the Milky Way is at its most spectacular, you will see the constellation Crux (the formal name for the Southern Cross). African Sky Crux and African Sky Celeste (céleste the French word for "heavenly") are the winemakers tributes to this magical world.

The wines bottled under the African Sky label are produced by Drostdy Wines, De Oude Drostdy, Tulbagh, in the Republic of South Africa.

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