Cape wine, noun phrase

Origin:
EnglishShow more Cape + English wine.
Wine made at the Cape of Good Hope: in early times referring to Constantia, but subsequently to South African wines in general.
Note:
See also Cape Madeira (Cape sense 2 b), frontignac, hanepoot sense 2, Jerepigo, Methode Cap Classique, pinotage sense 2, Pontac sense 1, premier grand cru, Riesling, steen sense 1, stein sense 1.
[1731 G. Medley tr. of P. Kolben’s Present State of Cape of G.H. II. 80I have drank, at the Governour’s, Capian Wine which was Six Years old; and which sparkled like old Hock, and was as racy as the noblest Canary.]
1773 J. Byron in J. Hawkesworth Acct of Voy. 137I gave all the people leave to go on shore by turns, and they always contrived to get very drunk with Cape wine before they came back.
1795 C.R. Hopson tr. of C.P. Thunberg’s Trav. I. 280Constantia, consisting of two farms, called great and little Constantia..is celebrated for its highly delicious wine, known by the name of Constantia or Cape Wine, which is sold in Europe at so high a price.
1797 T. Holcroft Stolberg’s Trav. through Germany, Switzerland, Italy & Sicily III. 351Red Cape wine..of the best kind, called Constantia.
1805 R. Semple Walks & Sketches 101His invitation came too seasonably to be refused, and our dinner and some good Cape wine restored our spirits.
1838 J.E. Alexander Exped. into Int. II. 296Unless some great improvement speedily takes place in the quality of Cape wines, and which is quite possible with care, the Cape must look to Australia as the place for the chief reception of its vinous produce.
1844 W.N. Irwin Echoes of Past (1927) 230Best Cape wine from 8d. to 1s. a bottle.
1857 Cape Monthly Mag. II. Sept. 188We are satisfied that good Cape wine will realize good prices, and that the exporter of a genuine article will benefit by the care taken in its preparation.
1886 C. Von Babo in C. Cowen S. Afr. Exhibition 1885 195The name ‘Cape Wine’ should have some legal protection, and it should be a punishable offence if such concoctions are sold under the name of ‘Cape Wine’.
1900 O. Osborne In Land of Boers 58For one New Year’s picnic we went to a wine farm at Constantia, a place close to Cape Town, from whence the best Cape wine derives its name.
1926 P.W. Laidler Tavern of Ocean 170As the century aged, Cape wines came into great repute. Cape champagne was voted equal, if not superior, to the best continental.
1936 Cambridge Hist. of Brit. Empire VIII. 229The colony possessed three chief sources of income: the British garrison, the entertainment of invalids from India, and the export of Cape wine.
1950 H. Gibbs Twilight in S. Afr. 81Cape wines and brandies are exported on an ever-increasing scale as shipping refrigeration increases.
1965 A. Gordon-Brown S. Afr. Heritage IV. 19There were clean tablecloths and tidy waitresses, and the meal, which consisted of ‘kerrie’ (mulligatawny), two sosaties and boiled rice, and half a pint of Cape wine, cost a quart of a rix-doller (4 cents).
1976 U.C.T. (Univ. of Cape Town) Vol.6, 24Wines other than those from Constantia were known as common Cape wines...The Cape wines sent to Batavia and Amsterdam by the Company between 1740 and 1780 varied considerably in quality and were received with mixed feelings by brokers.
1990 J. Platter in Sunday Times 16 Dec. 21Shut out from the major supermarket chains of Europe and generally ostracised and ignored along with most things South African, Cape wine has had to sneak in through backdoors.
in early times referring to Constantia, but subsequently to South African wines in general.
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English
Cape Triangular, noun phrasen. phr.Capey, nounn.
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