Brandy is big business in South Africa, with the two biggest players being KWV and Van Ryns. Both producers will tell you that their standards and processes are on par, if not better, than the equivalent Cognac standards with the only difference being the location of the vineyards.

Chenin and Colombard grapes dominate, and just as in France, they age their distillates for various amounts of time, bottling with alcohols around 38% to 40%.

South Africa's commitment to quality is borne out by a slew of awards. In fact, the country has recently dominated at leading international competitions.