MARVELOUS MCC BUBBLY TOUR

Proudly biodynamic and organic, your first stop is Longridge – one of the leading wine estates in Stellenbosch. Situated at the foot of the Helderberg mountains, the estate has stunning views from the restaurant gardens and tasting room that draw the eye all the way to Cape Town and the magnificent silhouette of Table Mountain. Enjoy their unique selection of Methode Cap Classique wines made by Jasper Raats, already legend in the industry despite his relative youth. An alternate stop for the morning would be another organic and family owned and run estate, Villieria for an equally impressive MCC tasting and pairing)

The MCC at historic Boschendal estate is crafted from classic varieties in the time honoured traditional method with the second fermentation taking place in the bottle as it ages. The estate itself is magnificent and spans many hectares in the breathtakingly beautiful Franschhoek valley. It boasts vibrant gardens growing organic vegetables that supply the onsite restaurant, The Werf, with healthy produce daily.

Your third stop takes you to Le Lude, the first winery in South Africa to produce wine in the Agrafe method – the second fermentation (that produces the bubbles) occurs while the still wine is under cork instead of a crown cap (most other production methods require the winemaker to remove the crown cap first, then add a mixture of alcohol and sugar and then add the cork). Winemaker Paul Gerber, a former math teacher, takes an analytical approach to making bubbly and believes that the three years spent undergoing the second fermentation on cork enables a fuller mouthfeel and texture, which exhibit savoury flavours that are only found in other MCCs after spending significant time in the bottle. See if you can taste the difference for yourself!

End your day with a well earned and final tasting at Môreson Family Winery, another proudly family owned and run wine estate. Apart from the already stellar selection of still wines at Môreson, Clayton Reabow, the winemaker, produces a superb range of excellent MCC and sparkling wines named after the estate’s friendly Weimaraner, Miss Molly.