Tuesday, 12 October, 2021
Wines of South Africa, Fiona McDonald
And on the same day it was also announced that the Kleine Zalze had not one wine in the Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Top 10, but two – the Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection 2020 and Family Reserve 2020.
2021 is a signature year for Cap Classique: it has been 50 years since Oom Frans Malan of Simonsig created the first bottle fermented sparkling wine in 1971. It also marked the 20th year of Amorim’s generous sponsorship of Cap Classique. (An interesting aside is that the first ever Amorim Cap Classique Challenge award went to Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel.)
“Doing well in one competition is always great but being consistently recognised at a top level for decades – as Kleine Zalze has been – reveals something deeper and richer,” said winemaker RJ Botha who took over the cellarmaster reins earlier this year. He also paid tribute to the investment and faith of Kobus Basson, Kleine Zalze’s owner.
“The consistency with which Kleine Zalze is recognised, both locally and internationally, is a reflection not only of Kleine Zalze as one of the area’s oldest farms, but also of the diverse and unique terroir, and hard work that has gone into working with nature,” said RJ. “Done this way, the result can only be wines of character, complexity and balance.” Botha mentioned in his acceptance of the Amorim Cap Classique sabre that 2021 also marks the 25th anniversary since Basson purchased Kleine Zalze.
Click HERE to read the full article