The first wines from South Africa were made 360 years ago from the French Muscadelle grape and in the centuries that followed, the country experienced a rollercoaster of success and failure. First came fame all over Europe in the late 1600s, then over production followed, then politician isolation, and – finally – a commitment to high quality winemaking and global embrace. KWV have been with the industry for over 100 years now and were initially formed to defend and protect farmers. In 1928, the developer of the Pinotage grape, Professor Abraham Izak Perold, joined KWV and became responsible for the experimentation of new cultivars and improving quality control.