I always find it slightly odd that people think of South African wine as exclusively New World. Particularly when Simon van der Stel established the huge and historic Constantia wine estate in what are now the suburbs of Cape back in 1685. Ironically, by the middle of the following century, the wines of Constantia had become global legends when the likes of Lafite and Latour were barely out of short trousers.

In the modern era, of course, apartheid and sanctions effectively put the South African wine industry into mothballs - in more ways than one. But since the birth of the Rainbow nation in 1994, the country's dynamic winemakers have more than made up for lost time. Exports to the UK, for instance, increased by 1,000 per cent in the decade to 2004 as the Western Cape almost exploded with wine.

The result is that South Africa has become one of the most exciting wine producers on the planet. What's more, it is still on a roll with new investment, new producers and new wine regions emerging at an astonishing rate. You only have to look at the thickness and number of new entries in John Platter's excellent annual South African Wine Guide to see how far and fast things have changed.

In 1995, his fifth edition ran to just over 300 pages. Last year's 2006 edition weighed in at a fraction over 600.

The big question for South Africa's winemakers though has been whose lead should the industry follow?

Stylistically speaking, should they pursue an old world elegance to differentiate themselves from the brash New World approach of Australia and Chile? Or should it eschew the classical European model and go for broke on the big, jammy reds and modern, fruit-driven whites? Alternatively, should it chart a course somewhere in between the two or attempt to define its own unique South African identity?

The answer, of course, is that South Africa has, quite wisely, gone for all four simultaneously. And why not when it is so naturally blessed with such a multiplicity of climates, terroirs and grape varieties, not to mention talented, ambitious winemakers and winemaking choices?

For as John Platter sagely points out, this "multiple personality disorder" should not be seen as weakness but rather as a unique strength".

"Here at the southern tip of Africa, it is possible to cram into a day's drive Burgundy, Bordeaux, the Rhone, the Rhine, swathes of Coonawarra, patches of Napa, hillsides of Tuscany (with olive groves) and Carneros," said John.

Certainly the marketers of South African wine have recently latched on to this opportunity and are actively pushing the message in its 'Variety is our nature' campaign. This cleverly underpins the concept of the Cape's diverse terroirs, which enable it to produce so many different styles of wines.

However, not everything in South Africa's garden is rosy. A competitive global wine market and a strong Rand have created the toughest trading conditions for the country in a decade. Moreover, some risk-averse consumers may find the sheer range of wines coming out of South Africa altogether too challenging.

However, I would urge you to delve a bit deeper into the best wines that the Cape can offer, as it's usually a very rewarding endeavour.

A good place to start is with this week's offer, which not only works out at just over £6.80 per bottle but also highlights four very exciting wines.

The two Brampton wines both come from the stable at the Rustenberg Estate in Stellenbosch. Rustenberg is owned by the Barlow family and is unquestionably one of the great icons of South African wine, having been established in 1682.

Both wines, made by the award-winning Adi Badenhorst, are superb examples of the vibrant modern style emerging out of the Cape.

If you want more heritage, you can't do much better than the great Boschendal estate. Founded in 1685 in Franschoek, this is one of the most picturesque places in the wine world to visit. But it's no museum.

A couple of years ago, it claimed the South African Wine Producer of the Year Award at the International Wine and Spirit Challenge.

Last, but by no means least, I've chosen a cracking Eagle's Cliff Shiraz produced by Christian Groenewald, who founded New Cape Wines as recently as 2000. But Groenewald is no newcomer to wine, having inherited his family wine estate in the Worcestor region.

All of which adds up to four very good reasons to check out the new South African wine scene in all its resplendent diversity.

For more details on the wines and to order this week's offer, click here.