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French sparkling wines are enjoying growing success among South Africans, who toast on all occasions. Their wine is made from French grape varieties, and worked according to the Champagne method. They now wish to obtain a local identity.
We are more than 10,000 km from Reims (Marne), in a small upscale town in western South Africa. The weekend is about to begin, and on the terraces of the cafés, a bottle plays the superstars. It’s not champagne, it’s called Cap Classique, 100% South African. “Between us, we call it bubbles, and we drink it every time we want to celebrate life, which is in fact every day”, says a customer. All over the country, it’s “bubble mania”, with a whole range, from brut to dew.
Over 10.5 million bottles sold last year
To build this success, the classic Cap was largely inspired by its big brother Champagne, and by all French wine production in general, starting with the vineyards. To make his sparkling wines, Pieter Ferreira, the greatest Cap Classique specialist, has taken up a proven recipe.
“We are surrounded by Chardonnay, and these vines were imported from Dijon in Burgundy, in the early 80s to South Africa”explains the president of the Cap Classique Producers Association. “And alongside Chardonnay, we also have Pinot Noir, and of course those two are the classic ingredients for champagne.” The production of Cap Classique increases every year by 10%, reaching last year more than 10.5 million bottles sold.
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