Cap Classique Brut Rosé NV

A rosé sparkling wine from South Africa that shows what the Méthode Cap Classique can do: red berry fruit, creamy texture, and a perlage that hardly comes to rest in the glass.

Graham Beck Wines was founded in 1983 with the purchase of the Madeba Farm in the Robertson region in the Western Cape. Cellar master Pieter Ferreira has been with the house since 1990 and is considered one of South Africa's best sparkling wine producers. He consistently relies on traditional bottle fermentation — called Méthode Cap Classique in South Africa — with whole-bunch pressing and at least 15 months of yeast aging. The fact that Nelson Mandela is said to have toasted his inauguration with a Graham Beck sparkling wine in 1994 is the house's most famous anecdote.

In the glass, the Pinot Noir shows its clear signature: aromas of cherry and red currant, plus a hint of brioche from the yeast aging. The palate is creamy and juicy, the perlage fine and invigorating, the finish dry and elegant.

Served at 8–10 °C, it pairs well with an aperitif, salmon tartare, grilled shrimp, or a strawberry dessert.