BOSCHENDAL GRANDE CUVÉE BRUT CAP CLASSIQUE 2014

Danielle Coetsee Winemaker Introduces Grande Cuvée Brut CC

Boschendal steeped in history launched its first Cap Classique in 1981. This was the Boschendal Brut, made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes and it paved the way for a long lineage of award-winning Cap Classique wines from the Estate's cellar. Boschendal will be celebrating 40 years of Cap Classique in 2021. Dedicated Cap Classique winemaker, Danielle Coetsee has also been crowned as women winemaker of the year at the 2020 SA Women's Wine and Spirits Awards.

The grapes were harvested early at lower sugar levels to achieve the bracing freshness required for the making of base wine for a classic Cap Classique. Grapes were handpicked in the cool dawn and placed in small lug boxes to ensure the fruit was not damaged during transportation to the cellar. Grapes were then whole-bunch pressed separately. Only premium quality juice was used, which means that only the first 500 litres per ton were extracted for this beautiful wine.

The juice was cold settled for 48 hours. The clear juice was racked from the lees and fermented at 16°C. With fermentation complete, the tank was filled and left on the primary lees up until blending. The premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay base wines were then selected to become part of this harmonious blend. The final base wine was then stabilised and filtered. The sugar level of the wine was adjusted to 24 g/l followed by the addition of the liqueur de tirage—part of the wine blend that contains the yeast—activating the second fermentation in the bottle and the magic behind the Cap Classique bubble. This resulted in the very fine mousse that our Cap Classique is so well known for. The wine then matured on the lees for at least 36 months before it was disgorged.