The festive season is upon us, and nothing celebrates the end of a good year like the popping of a champagne cork. Even though the pernickety French won’t let us officially call it champagne (see sidebar), here are some of the Cape’s best bubblies for you to discover and enjoy this summer…

Graham Beck
If it’s good enough for Obama, it’s good enough for me. The Graham Beck Brut was the bubbly of choice at Barack Obama’s inauguration celebrations, and this über-modern cellar on the road into Franschhoek is one of the best places to sample the estate’s wide range of Méthode Cap Classiques. Dark wood-panels and elegant couches do justice to the MCC, while floor-to-ceiling views onto the cellar make this a great place to feel part of the action with a glass of wine in hand.

With vineyards in Franschhoek as well as near Robertson in the hot Breede River valley, long-time cellar master Pieter Ferreira has all the ingredients he could ask for in whipping up some of the Cape’s top bubblies. The non-vintage (N/V) Brut is perfect for balmy summer picnics, while the premium Brut Blanc de Blancs (made from 100% Chardonnay) is perhaps best kept for the Christmas table.

Open for tastings Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm, Saturday and 1st Sunday of the month 10am – 3pm.

Villiera
‘Award winning wines at pocket-friendly prices’ pretty much sums up this winery. Villiera have created a loyal fan base by serving up consistently great vintages that won’t have you running for your bank manager.

Winemaker Jeff Grier has been making wines on his Stellenbosch farm for over 20 years, but hasn’t let the raft of awards go to his head or inflate his prices. The Tradition Brut fairly flies off the shelves once summer arrives, and is an ideal anytime bubbly. The Monro Brut is also worth a look-in: thanks to its barrel fermentation it has a richer, yeastier flavour and will have better ageing potential.

Open for tastings Monday – Friday 8.30am – 5pm, Saturday 8.30am – 3pm.

Simonsig Estate
On the outskirts of Stellenbosch wineries, Simonsig is one of the Grande Dames of SA wine, producing some of the countries most laudable (and quaffable) vintages for over 40 years. No stranger to five stars in the venerable Platter’s Guide, the estate produces a vast range of wines so it’s a good spot to head for if you have a number of palates to please.

But in amongst the award-winning reds and dependable whites, the Kaapse Vonkel ranks alongside Villiera’s Tradition as an ever-dependable well-priced tipple. South Africa’s first bottle-fermented bubbly, Kaapse Vonkel is a fairly typical blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (usually 51/41, if you have to know!) with the gaps filled in by a splash of the little-known Pinot Meunier.

If you’ve got a Christmas bonus to burn, the premium Cuvée Royale is their premium MCC that you’ll cherish on a special occasion.

Open for tastings Monday – Friday 8.30am – 5pm, Saturday 8.30am – 4pm.


Route 62
If you don’t mind driving a little further out of Cape Town, the wineries of Route 62 are one of my favourite destinations for a little wine-tasting (and, inevitably, wine-buying).  Mass tourism has yet to reach the estates around Robertson, and you’ll find both great wine and warm country hospitality here.

My favourite winery in the area is Bon Courage, the family-affair led by winemaker Jacques Bruwer. While they have a few outstanding reds in their arsenal, their Méthode Cap Classiques are undoubtedly a highlight. No surprise then that their cellar can produce over 300 000 bottles of bubbly each vintage! The 100% Chardonnay Brut Reserve Blanc de Blancs is the flagship, but the more affordable Brut Reserve is what most punters will walk away with.

Over towards Bonnievale, the historic family farm of Weltevrede is celebrating the recent release of the fourth and final MCC in their range. Winemaker Philip Jonker is a chardonnay specialist, so it’s no surprise his bubblies have garnered much acclaim. The latest is a Brut Rosé called Lindelize, named after his wife, and is a salmon-coloured Cap Classique that simply exudes refinement and poise. Perfect for an elegant evening.

Bon Courage: Open for tastings Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm, Saturday 9am – 3pm.
Weltevrede: Open for tastings Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm, Saturday 9am – 3.30pm.

Krone Borealis
While Route 62, Franschhoek and Stellenbosch garner the lion’s share of the limelight, the sleepy village of Tulbagh quietly makes waves an hour or so north of Cape Town. The original Dutch settlers called it ‘Het Land van Waveren’ for the fields of waving grass, but today it’s neatly trellised vineyards against a backdrop of soaring mountains that’ll catch your eye.

Twee Jonge Gezellen has been in the Krone family for generations, and the late Nicky Krone Sr. was a pioneer in the technique of cold-fermentation that transformed the quality of warm-climate wines.

Today, it’s his son – also Nicky – and family that devote their energies to producing top-notch MCC. With just 800ha of vineyards, the focus is heavily on white varietals to produce the likes of the stunning Borealis Brut and Brut Cuvée. Cellar tours and formal tastings are available.

Open for tastings Monday – Friday 9am – 4pm, Saturday 10am – 2pm.


Steenberg Vineyards
If you don’t have time to leave the Mother City, a quick swing through the Constantia wine lands will unearth the delightful Steenberg Vineyards. Laid out on the flanks of the Constantiaberg, their Chardonnay-based 1682 Brut is a crisp, dry bubbly best enjoyed ice-cold on a hot summer’s day.

What’s more, Steenberg is a member of the Biodiversity in Wine Initiative, so the vineyards use biological methods to control pests instead of spraying with harmful insecticide. Great Cap Classique with a clear conscience to boot!

Open for tastings Monday – Friday 9am – 4.30pm, Saturday 9.30am – 1.30pm.

Published in the December issue of Indwe, the in-flight magazine of SA Express.

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