A Nick Room partner
Simonsig Wine Estate
One of the oldest wine farms in South Africa and creator of the country's first Méthode Cap Classique sparkling wine.
Simonsig Wine Estate
Koelenhof, South Africa
Simonsig Wine Estate is synonymous with the history of the South African wine industry, the Stellenbosch wine region, and the Malan family name. These elements are intertwined in this family-owned farm, where the late Frans Malan produced the first bottle of Kaapse Vonkel, South Africaʼs first Méthode Cap Classique made in the classic bottle-fermented style. He is also honoured as a pioneer in co-founding the thriving Stellenbosch Wine Route. Today, his legacy lives on through his sons, Francois and Johan, and grandchildren Francois-Jacques, Christelle and Michael, the 2nd and 3rd generations of Malans at Simonsig Wine Estate.
Nick comments on his long standing relationship with the winery: “I first heard about Simonsig when I got drafted over to Merton, south London, to help run Findlater’s, the John Lewis Partnership’s first foray into wine e-commerce. Old copies of ‘Wine News’ are evidence they stocked Simonsig wines then. Fast forward, and today Simonsig have a loyal distribution network via regional wholesalers and independent wine shops, and I am proud to represent them in the UK as their Brand Ambassador. South African wine has enormous potential – none more so than with Cap Classique, a discerning choice for sparkling wine that Simonsig pioneered in a category of wine that’s a growing sector of the UK market.”
Visit Simonsig Wine Estate Go to website
Simonsig Wine Estate products
Kaapse Vonkel Brut
Created in 1971, Kaapse Vonkel was South Africa’s first traditional method sparkling wine, made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with a minimum of 15 months on its lees. It continues to be Simonsig’s signature wine and one for which the winery is rightly famous. Its name means “Cape Sparkle” and that’s exactly what it does – fresh, clean, with an attractive fine mousse and that hint of biscuit and newly baked bread that develops through a couple of years’ ageing. The partner to a Rosé under the same banner.
Discover more
Redhill Pinotage
This was Simonsig’s first red release back in 1970, from a single vineyard with red soils originating from decomposed shale. Hand-harvested, hand-sorted, destemmed grapes are crushed into open top fermenters in a classic extraction process using punchdowns that gives intense colour and tannins. Yet malo in barrel, and the use of a significant proportion of second-fill French oak, means the tannins are never aggressive or out of balance with the wine. Further time in bottle prior to sale mellows the enormous black cherry, cranberry and spice fruit, laced with mouthwatering acidity and a plush finish. A multi-awarding winning wine.
Discover more
