6 Vineyards to Visit in South Africa

South African wine has a history dating back to 1659 and is home to the sparkling wine known as Cap Classique. ‘Methode Cap Classique’ or MCC denotes a South African sparkling wine made by the traditional Champagne method.

Pierre Jourdan
Nestled between the Franschhoek Mountains and deeply rooted in history, Haute Cabrière – The Home of Pierre Jourdan Cap Classique is one of Franschhoek’s most exquisite food and wine destinations. The house dates back to 1694, when French Huguenot Pierre Jourdan was granted a piece of land in the region.

The Pierre Jourdan range is produced exclusively from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Sumaridge Estate
Sumaridge Estate Wines, proudly owned by the Bellingham Turner family since 2008, lies gracefully between two imposing mountain ranges in the Western Cape’s Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley – aptly named “Heaven and Earth”. The views from the vineyards are stunning and certainly worth a visit.

Vineyard

Org de Rac
If Organic Wines are important to you, check out Org de Rac. Org de Rac prides itself in it’s deep respect for the land and organic approach to winemaking. The grapes are raised in soil that was never exposed to any form of chemical pesticide, herbicide or fungicide.

The Estate is located in Swartland, near the Berg River. They produce a great Blanc de Blancs Cap Classique, Cuveé La Verne Method Cap Classique Blanc de Blancs Brut 2011.

Graham Beck
Graham Beck has two estates – in Stellenbosch and Robertson. The Robertson Estate is situated in the stunning Breede River Valley. They believe in minimal cellar intervention to allow the authentic essence of the fruit and terrior to shine through in the wines.
Their most prestigious Cap Classique is Cuvée Clive, a testimony to their reputation as a world class producer of traditional method wine.

Charles Fox
The Charles Fox estate specialises in Cap Classique wines. The Estate was started in 2005 by husband and wife, Charles and Zelda, who followed their passion for Champagne by making their own.

They discovered the beautiful Elgin Valley in the Western cape, and decided it was a perfect place to create their own sparkling wine. It has grown quickly since then, now a fantastic Cap Classique Wine Estate.

Muratie
Muratie is located Stellenbosch in dates back to 1685. Just as the history of Muratie dates back centuries, so does the Melck family vintage. Over the years they have invested in their staff this sense of family. Their most iconic sparkling wine is ‘Lady Alice’, a 2012 Cap Classique with 100% Pinot Noir.