Known locally as the Mother City, Cape Town is the gateway to the South African wine country and one of the great wine capitals of the world. Here the cultures of Africa, Europe and the East have met and mingled for over 350 years, shaping a city both ancient and modern, rich in colorful history and culturally diverse. In the last few years a dynamic new vision has given momentum to changes within the industry that is globally competitive and highly profitable. With the advent of democracy, the opening of new markets and exposure to international trends, South Africa can now compete with confidence on the world wide stage.