The Best Value Sparkling Wine You’ve Never Heard Of
Graham Beck
Wine expert Gosia Young is feeling bubbly. So she reached out to the team behind the leading sparkling wine in South Africa, Graham Beck. Here’s the latest file on why Cap Classique is worthy of your attention.
Courtesy of Graham Beck
SPECIAL OFFER:
Exclusively for our readers, we partnered with Graham Beck to offer you 25% OFF + FREE SHIPPING on their best-sellers 3-pack! Offer expires Friday at midnight.
Link to order: https://grahambeckusa.com/vintner-files/
Think you’ve tried it all? Sure, you may have had Prosecco from Italy, Champagne from France, and even Cava from Spain. But allow me to introduce you to the next greatest sparkling wine worthy of your upcoming celebration: Cap Classique from South Africa! So perhaps now is as good a time as any to spruce up on your sparkling savviness and enjoy a sparkling wine that fits your style and doesn’t burn a whole in your pocket.
What’s in a name?
Technically speaking, Champagne and Cap Classique are the same. GASP! Both bottles are made using traditional méthode champenoise, meaning a second fermentation happens in the bottle. But that’s the theory. In reality, it’s a whole other ball game due to sought-after cultural property and location branding. You can’t – and shouldn’t – think of Champagne and Cap Classique as the same thing. Why?
Champagne can only be called so if it is produced within the Champagne region of France. That exclusivity factor is what makes it so unique. The original method of making sparkling wine – the méthode champenoise – was pioneered by the French and has been upheld for centuries as the gold standard. So much so that France has ensured that there are serious legal consequences for anyone outside of the Champagne region who dares to use its hallowed name onto their bottle of bubbly.
As a direct result, anything produced outside the area needs to don a different name, be it Cava in Spain or Cap Classique in South Africa. While I love a glass of Champagne as much as the next person (and trust me, I do!), it often comes with a price tag twice as high (at a minimum) as other bottles of bubbly! So if you’re a price-conscious and adventurous wine drinker like me, then it’s time to delve into the sparkling world of Cap Classique.
Courtesy of Graham Beck
A bubbly worthy of the moment
I recently attended an International Cap Classique Day celebration (FYI, Cap Classique Day is 1 September!) and was blown away by the impressive cohort of Cap Classique to choose from. There were all kinds of styles, from dry to sweet. My stand-out wine of the day was the Graham Beck Brut. Dry and refreshing, it went beautifully with just about anything I ate.
When I found out the Brut only costs $22 a bottle, I was blown away. Not only does this bubbly offer incredible value-for-money, but you can enjoy it guilt-free! At the event, there were Bellinis (bubbly and peach juice) and other sparkling wine-inspired cocktails. Not only were they delicious, but the value Cap Classique offers means there is room to enjoy it any way you like. After sipping on a glass (or two) of the Brut, I wanted to know more about Cap Classique and the producer behind the bubbly in my glass.
Courtesy of Graham Beck
Does South Africa make good bubbly?
In short: yes! South Africa is the world’s seventh-largest wine-producing country and home to over 300 stunningly beautiful vineyards. South African Wine Country (also known as the Winelands) is primarily located in the province of the Western Cape. There are five main wine-growing regions, encompassing 29 diverse districts and some 95 smaller wards.
To make a good bubbly like Champagne, you need a similar setup. Think cool-climate, limestone soils, and hot daytime temperatures followed by cool nights. The wine district of Robertson in the Western Cape, about an hour and a half from Cape Town, offers just that. That’s precisely why founder Graham Beck picked Robertson to plant his vines in 1991.
Some 30 years later, the brand of Graham Beck is a leading and established household name in South Africa, continually lauded by critics and consumers alike. It has even made auspicious appearances at Nelson Mandela’s inauguration and Barack Obama’s presidential win over the years. Having discovered the Brut, I touched base with Cellar Master Pieter Ferreira to find out what else I’ve been missing:
“Cap Classique is the wine world’s best-kept secret. But it shouldn’t be a secret anymore! With its varying levels of acidity and rich layers of flavor, Cap Classique is incredibly versatile. I suggest you remove it from the ‘only-for-celebratory-toasts’ wine category and start to think of it as a food-friendly, approachable drink that will enhance any moment - be it big or small, simple or sublime!” he shares.
Courtesy of Graham Beck
Bubbly at its Best
While I’ll always be a fangirl of real Champagne, I can’t help but also appreciate a good deal when I see one. To me, Graham Beck bubbly hits the rare trifecta of value, quality, and consistency. After accustoming myself a little more with the full Graham Beck range, my findings are that there is a diverse yet focused range to suit your style and price point. You’ll find two main collections available in the US: the Non-Vintage and Vintage Collections. The Non-Vintage collection is the value-for-money range at $22 a bottle! It’s where you'll find a deal-seeker like me enjoying the likes of the Graham Beck Brut, Bliss Demi-Sec, and Brut Rosé.
The Vintage Collection costs a little more at $35. But remember that this is a VINTAGE bubbly, meaning the wines are made from the harvest of a single year and are an expression of the very best selection of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The price is remarkable when you think about how a bottle of vintage Champagne will set you back a cool $100 (at best!).
So here’s my take on Cap Classique: If you’re buying bubbly, it’s probably because you want to treat yourself or spoil someone. While there is a place and time for Champagne, and I have nothing against it, it’s just not financially feasible (well, at least for me!) to enjoy it regularly.
Cap Classique is a wonderful alternative: it has the hallmark tastes of a classic bottle-fermented sparkling wine and it’s half the price! The only snag is that it’s not readily available on most wine shelves. But the good news is that Graham Beck has just started selling their Cap Classique online, meaning you can order some for yourself right here in the US.
Be it sushi on a Friday night with friends, a picnic on the beach, or an elegant soiree held at a beach bungalow, my two cents is that Cap Classique is the next best thing. Think of it as a value bubbly just like Prosecco, but at the same quality as a Champagne. Trust me; you’ll soon be looking for reasons to celebrate!
SPECIAL OFFER:
Exclusively for our readers, we partnered with Graham Beck to offer you 25% OFF + FREE SHIPPING on their best sellers 3-pack. Offer expires Friday at midnight.
Link to order: https://grahambeckusa.com/vintner-files/