Winner of the best South African MCC announced at Amorim Cap Classique Challenge

Domaine des Dieux, the boutique wine producer in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley near Hermanus, was crowned as South Africa’s best Cap Classique exponent at this year’s Amorim Cap Classique Challenge, the only competition committed exclusively to the Cap Classique category.

This was the 17th year South Africa’s producers of bottle-fermented sparkling wine took part in this popular competition.

The Domaine des Dieux Claudia Brut MCC 2012, a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, won the category for Best Brut Blend as well as Best Producer having achieved the highest score of all the 127 wines entered into this year’s rendition of the Amorim Cap Classique Challenge.

Classique pioneer Simonsig Estate from Stellenbosch which celebrates its 50 th year as an independent producer this year, dominated the competition’s Rosé Category with the Woolworths Pinot Noir Rosé 2016 (no added sulphur).

In the category for Best Blanc de Blancs, Franschhoek fizz whizz Colmant Brut Chardonnay (non-vintage) took top honours.

House of JC le Roux came out tops with its classic Pongracz Desiderius 2009.

Chairman of the judging panel Heidi Duminy, CWM, said there can be no doubt about Cap Classique being on the rise in all respects.Duminy said that Cap Classique has been poised to explode on the international scene in recent years, offering a fantastic proposition for the trending global demand for sparkling wine. “

Judging with Duminy were Cathy Marston, wine educator and journalist, sommelier-at-large Higgo Jacobs, Elunda Basson, JC le Roux cellarmaster and Pierre de Klerk from Graham Beck. Farai Magwada, sommelier at Cavalli Estate in Stellenbosch, joined the team as associate judge.