At the 2013 Amorim Tsogo Sun Cap
Classique Challenge, Simonsig Wine Estate, a regular top performer in previous
years, with no less than 3 times Cap Classique Producer of the Year, won a
trophy in the Museum category with their 2007 Kaapse Vonkel Brut, as well as a
“Highly Recommended – Gold Medal”, for their 2009 Kaapse Vonkel Brut.
No introduction required for such a top winery, one of South
Africa’s most established and consistent MCC producer, located in Bottelary
ward in Stellenbosch district, they are also the pioneer of MCC productions in
South Africa, being the first Estate to produce and release a traditional
method sparkling wine back in 1971.
Below is an exclusive interview with Johan Malan, winemaker
and one of the owners relating the wonderful journey of Simonsig, deeply entrenched
in modern South African winemaking history.
Tell our readers a little more about your
winery and how long you have been making wine and why your chosen location to
make wine and in particular MCC, what is special about your site?
Simonsig
has been in our family since 1942 when it was acquired by my maternal
grandfather. My father, Frans Malan took over the farm in 1953 and started
bottling the first Simonsig Estate wines in 1968 when Simonsig was only the 5th
private producer to bottle its own wine in Stellenbosch. Simonsig is situated
on the lower foothills of the Simonsberg on the northern side of Stellenbosch.
It is an area where you will find some of the most iconic wine estates in SA.
Cool moderate maritime climate with superb granite and shale soils with
excellent water retention capacity, making it perfect for the growing of
premium quality wines.
The close
proximity to the Atlantic and the reigning South Easter winds in summer
moderates temperatures and this brings cool night time temp’s which preserves
acidity and results in low pH levels which is crucial for MCC production.
Explain us your viticultural approach and
philosophy, as we all know, it’s all starts in the dirt to make very good to
great wines?
The best
quality planting material on well prepared soils on the right site is an
essential starting point. Vineyards must be balanced between vigour and yield
and good canopy management assures optimal grape quality.
Viticulturist are very often the unsung heroes
of the South African wine industry and we all know, demanding style such as
MCC, needs optimum grape quality, tell us more about your viticulturist?
My brother
Francois Malan has been taking care of our vineyards for more than 30 years and
he qualified with a BSc Viticulture honours degree at Stellenbosch. He is ably
assisted by Tommie Corbett who is the man in the vineyards completely hands on
(and his hands full with 210 hectares to nurture!)
MCC’s will never be Champagne, however the
quality are of a very high standards and represents some of the very best value
bottle sparkling wine in the world, tell us more about the climate and soil
your grapes come from?
Our soils
in Stellenbosch can vary quite a lot even in the same vineyard, but for Pinot
noir and chardonnay we prefer the cooler sites mid to higher up the slopes. The
weathered shale soils contain a high percentage of clay and this soaks up the
winter rains to slowly release it back to the vines during summer. It is
essential to ripen the grapes without moisture stress. This is one of the
advantages of MCC grapes as it is harvested in January before the Feb heat and
then there’s still good soil water capacity.
Do you have any preferences over site specific,
i.e Estate / region/district/ward wine of origin over Western Cape /
Coastal Region blends, if so give us more details?
Champagne
is a double barrel blend containing not only three grape varieties, but also
grapes come from many different villages. My experience with grapes from
outside our own vineyards is that it adds to different flavours and textures
which enhances complexity.
How long you have been making MCC?
The first
Kaapse Vonkel was made in 1971.
How many styles of MCC’s you produce under your
brand?
There are
three different styles. Kaapse Vonkel Brut is a vintage MCC containing all the
three varieties.
The Kaapse
vonkel Brut Rosé is a blend of three Pinots Pinot noir, Pinotage and Pinot
meunier
The
Simonsig Cuvée Royale is a Blanc de Blancs and is our Prestige Cuvée and spends
5 years or longer on the lees.
There is also a special Cuvée chêne which is only sold at the Cape Winemakers
Guild Auction and is a 100% wooded Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs.
Tell us more about your winning MCC and it’s
winemaking process as well as the percentage blends if any making the final
wine?
The
simonsig Kaapse Vonkel 2007 was the winner of the Museum Class this year. The
Kaapse Vonkel 1999 was the inaugural winner of the Cap Classique Challenge and
the 2005 Kaapse Vonkel was also the overall winner.
So the 2007
is keeping the flag flying high. The blend is doninated by Pinot noir 58%
Chardonnay 39% and Pinot meunier 3%. For the museum class the wine spent at
least 5 years on the lees and this allows the slow evolution of flavour to
develop to its optimum before disgorging.
What is your view on Reserve wine added prior
to dosage, what would be your average percentage, if any use in your house
style?
Reserve
wine is cuvée from a vintage which is kept back and blended in to a younger
cuvée before bottling and is used in Champagne to even out the big vintage
variations they can experience due to the northerly location of the region.
In South
Africa we have a much more stable climate which makes the use of reserve wines
less of a necessity, but can have a stylistic influence as it makes the wine
more developed at an earlier age.
I have used
reserve wines in the past to experiment, but not any more. To expand the
flavour of the chardonnay cuvées a good portion is fermented and matured in
seasoned older French oak barriques and these barrels will also finish
Malolactic fermentation further adding to the mouthfeel and complexity.
What MCC style are your aiming for?
Our style
for Kaapse Vonkel is red grape driven and the Pinot gives fullness of flavour
and body. The wine should have weight on the palate and lots of mouth watering
flavour. To achieve this we also pick riper than most growers to allow more
fruit intensity to develop. Longer ageing on the lees is also a huge benefit as
this 2007 KV demonstrates.
The dosage
levels for Kaapse Vonkel has come down over the last 5 years as I believe the
sugar masks the fruit.
With the new emerging market locally preferring
wines with higher residual sugar, what is your philosophy on dosage and where
do you draw the line?
The
sweetness of the fruit and the finesse of a well made MCC is so delicious it
does not need too much sugar to taste great!
What are the source / origin of the grape(s)
used in the winning wine?
Mostly
Simonsig’s own grapes, but some of the Pinot noir came from Elgin.
Stylistically, where do you intend taking the
wine in the next 5 to 10 years?
The quality
of our own vineyards’ Chardonnay is remarkable and I intend to make it more in
the blend. That will require more time on lees, but the result will be worth
it.
How many approximately bottles do you produce
per each style?
Simonsig
does not aim to be the biggest, but definitely the best in quality.
Countries exported?
Holland,
Russia, USA, UK, Germany and Dubai
Top local on trade customers supporting the
wines or where can your MCC be found to be purchased and enjoy?
Beverly
hills Hotel, Oyster Box Hotel, and Mount Nelson hotel in the Mother City and
most wine shops and retailers in SA. if you are travelling abraod the Burj al
Arab hotel in Dubai will be a good place to sip some Vonkel!
Your favorite food pairings or recommendation
to be enjoyed with your winning MCC?
Salmon and
fresh Tuna sashimi with the Brut Rosé. The Kaapse Vonkel or the Cuvée Royale with
foie gras is sublime. Or a fresh yellowtail on the braai with lemon butter.
Do you have a special cellar door deal for
readers of MCWJ to purchase your MCC over the holiday period?
Simonsig
recently launched our own Simonsig Wine Club and members are entitled to a 10%
discount on cellar door purchases and also when dining at Cuvée restaurant the
same 10% discount applies.Please refer to our website www.simonsig.co.za
What is the average selling of your MCC’s,
cellar door / retail?
Cellar Door
Kaapse Vonkel and Brut Rosé R95.00 Cuvée Royale R220
Retail:
Kaapse Vonkel and Kaapse Vonkel Brut Rosé R99.00 or R89.95 on promotion
If you had more than 1 winning MCC’s please
elaborate on each?
The Kaapse
Vonkel 2009 got a Gold. Over the past 10 yearsof the Cap Classique Challenge
Simonsig has won it three times with the most recent winner the Simonsig Cuvée
Royale 2005.
