A landmark harvest for Graham Beck
Leading our winemaking excellence, cellarmaster Pierre de Klerk, COO Pieter Ferreira, and newly appointed winemaker Lizemari Geldenhuys reflect on our 35th harvest at Graham Beck, a landmark vintage marked by patience, precision, and intuition.
"What started as a slow, delayed season ended with fruit of phenomenal intensity and balance," says Pieter. "This vintage is proof that great Cap Classique is not just made in the cellar-it begins with understanding the vineyards and respecting nature's rhythms."
A season of balance and brilliance
While warm early winter spells and a cool spring initially delayed our growing season, this extended period allowed our fruit to develop exceptional intensity while maintaining the high natural acidity essential for our Cap Classique.
"The extra hang time of 10 days meant we had fruit of exceptional depth, and the night harvest allowed us to lock in the purity and precision that define our style," says Pierre.
The results speak for themselves: outstanding quality and a 22% increase in estate yield compared to 2024. Our fifth consecutive night harvest continues to prove a cornerstone of the process, ensuring our Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier arrive at the cellar in ideal condition.
Mastering the art of the blend
In the cellar, we're working with an extraordinary 230 individual base wine components, each contributing to the complexity and refinement that define our signature House style. Throughout the fermentation process, these base wines continue to show remarkable promise, setting the stage for exceptional Cap Classiques to come.
A house of dedication, a legacy of craft
Despite the season's challenges – including dry, windy conditions – our commitment to sustainable viticulture and precision irrigation ensured our vineyards not only survived but thrived. The 2025 vintage is slowly revealing itself as a landmark year, one that will contribute significantly to our pursuit of the perfect bubble.
After all, there may be a million bubbles in a glass of Cap Classique, but there is only one House of Graham Beck.
