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SAPPA is the South African Port Producers’ Association, founded by a group of port wine makers during the inaugural Calitzdorp Port Festival in 1992. At the initiative of Calitzdorp cellarmaster Carel Nel, and port lover, the late Theo Rudman, members were encouraged to accept guidelines for the main styles of port (see “Styles”), such as ruby port, tawny port and vintage port. Members of SAPPA are dedicated to raising standards of Cape port wines, and following as closely as possible the time-honoured and tested methods for producing these styles, including the use, where possible, of traditional Portuguese grape varieties such as Tinta Barocca, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Nacional. SAPPA members are now making their ports in a dryer (less sweet) style, and with higher balancing alcohol levels than were common in the “old-style” Cape ports of days gone by: these were more like sweet dessert wines than true ports. Membership of SAPPA has grown to nearly thirty cellars, some of which produce only or mainly port wines, while others regard their port simply as part of their large range of wines on offer. In all cases, however, these members subscribe to the ideals of their Association, one of the most important being to educate and encourage wine drinkers to understand and drink port. To this end SAPPA regularly participates in such consumer-oriented events as the WINEX exhibition, and the bi-annual Calitzdorp Port Festival, at which event an invited overseas guest is the drawcard at the popular and informative tasting and seminar. SAPPA is proud to be involved with the Cape-based Wine-Of-the-Month
Club, South Africa’s largest direct marketing wine sales organization,
which sponsors SAPPA’s activities. |