The beginner's guide Cap Classique

The first Méthode Cap Classique was made in South Africa in 1971 by legendary winemaker Frans Malan of Simonsig Wine Estate. It was released to the public in 1973 as Kaapse Vonkel. Since then, South Africans have become serious fizz fanatics and world-class producers of this bottle-fermented sparkling wine.

It's made using exactly the same method as Champagne, but only sparkling wines made in the Champagne region in north-eastern France can be labelled as such. South African producers use the traditional French method known as méthode champenoise. The base wine, most commonly a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, is added to the bottle with a solution of wine, yeast and sugar called liqueur de tirage. This starts the secondary fermentation process, forming those desired bubbles. The bottle is capped to trap all the carbon dioxide inside and then positioned in a stand, neck first and at an angle, to collect the sediment formed during fermentation. To guide the sediment to the neck of the bottle, the winemaker turns the bottle a few degrees every day – a process known as riddling – for a few weeks. The bottle necks are then dipped into a cold solution to freeze the sediment, which is removed from the bottle in a process called disgorgement. Next comes the liqueur de expedition, or dosage. The winemaker replaces the volume of wine that was lost while removing the sediment with a sugary liquid. The bottle is corked and secured with a wire cage or muselet that stops the carbon dioxide from forcing out the cork.

There's a Cap Classique to suit every palate, with Brut being popular in SA. It contains around 12 g of residual sugar per litre and you can expect a beautiful balance of acidity, sweetness, flavour and complexity, versatile enough to suit any occasion and perfect for pairing with food. Prefer a bubbly with no added sugar? A zero dosage Cap Classique might be the one for you. And if you love a sweeter fizz, or want a bottle to pair with desserts, look for a demi-sec, which has 32 - 50 g of residual sugar per litre.

You're used to seeing 750 ml bottles on shelves, but you may want to pop a 375 ml demi bottle to celebrate the small wins. Or opt for a magnum – at 1.5 L, it's double the size of the standard bottle and will give you ten glasses of bubbles. Other big guys include the Jeroboam (3 L, or four standard bottles) all the way up to the Nebuchadnezzar at a whopping 15 L, or 100 glasses. These larger bottles are often collected by experts for their ageing potential – more wine in the bottle means less oxygen, allowing for slower ageing and great complexity.

It's a great aperitif and party starter, but Cap Classique also pairs beautifully with food. Try trout with cream cheese on melba toast with a glass of Brut. The Cap Classique will cut through the richness of the trout and creaminess of the cheese, while the melba toast highlights the biscuity flavour of the wine. Cheese in general loves the Cap Classique. Blue cheese, which is robust and creamy, is great with a demi-sec. The wine mellows out the richness and enhances the flavour and aroma of the cheese. Or, try a doux (50 g or more of sugar per litre) with a bold Gorgonzola. For dessert, serve koeksisters with a doux. The sweetness in both mouthfulls will balance each other, leaving you with a less sweet, more flavoursome, taste experience.

The classic flute is the favourite choice for a good reason – the upright shape with its narrow opening traps aroma and fizz, allowing you to enjoy all those bubbles from the first to the last sip. For a more convenient, easy-to-store option, pick a stemless flute for its contemporary aesthetic. The retro coupe takes a different approach with its wide opening and shallow bowl. If you're planning to build a Cap Classique tower for a special occasion, these are the glasses you want. Now, all you need to do is find the right bottle for your occasion, pop, pour, and say cheers!

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