What is quality sparkling wine called in South Africa?
Well, in South Africa, to distinguish their quality sparkling wine from the vast majority of the carbon dioxide injected swill, they call the good stuff Méthode Cap Classique, or Cap Classique.
Most South African sparkling wines are tank-fermented low-priced wines that are iinjected with carbon dioxide before bottling. These wines are easy-drinking, lack complexity and are readily available in supermarkets and liquor stores.
Quality Sparkling wine – MCC
The finer Methode Cap Classique (MCC) wines are reputed for their complexity with seductive flavours and can compete with some of the best in the world.
The Methode Cap Classique is a sparkling wine production method and the term used to address the South African sparkling wines made from it. A feature of Methode Cap Classique is that it follows the same process as “Methode Champenoise” where the secondary fermentation occurs in the bottle and not in takes.
In this method, the winemaker adds base wine, yeast, and sugar to a bottle and cork it. The yeast reacts with the sugar which creates carbon dioxide, producing fine bubbles in the wine. In this method wine must be aged for 9 months on lees.
After this period, to remove the lees, the winemaker freezes the wine bottle in a cold brine bath and the pressure of the gas forces the lees out.
Bottles produced with this method have “Methode Cap Classique” on their label and is the registered name of South African winemakers of this variety.
French Champagne producers trademarked the names “Champagne” and “Champenoise” since 1922. Consequently the name “Methode Cap Classique” or MCC has been used in South Africa.
How does a Methode Cap Classique wine differ from Champagne
Here are the main differences between MCC and Champagne.
- Champagne can only be produced in the prestigious Champagne region of France, MCC wines are produced across South Africa.
- Champagne must age for at least 15 months (for non-vintages) and 3 years (for vintage cuvees). MCC sparkling wines have a minimum aging requirement of 9 months.
- MCC has no restriction on variety of the type of blend whereas Champagne regulations only allow seven grapes in the wine production (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Arbane, and Petit Meslier.)
The top producer of South African sparking wines is the Graham Beck WInery in Robertson where winemaker, Pieter “Bubbles” Ferreira has built a solid reputation and has won many awards.
Graham Beck is also the top exporter of South African bubbly.
Please see below an interview with Bubbles Ferreira.
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