We brought together three of the UK's most influential sparkling wine buyers – Victoria Mason MW (The Wine Society), Beth Kelly MW (Tesco) and Alexandra Mawson (Waitrose) – alongside category advocate David Kermode, for a candid conversation about Cap Classique's future in the UK.
What they told us was eye-opening. The UK is already the biggest export market for Cap Classique, up 157% over five years. Yet the category remains dominated by a single brand, its story is still under-told, and South Africa's traditional-method sparkling wines are largely absent from one of the most important channels of all: the on-trade.
Here are eight key takeaways – and what they mean for your business.
1. You're not competing with Cap Classique. You're competing with one brand
Around 94% of Cap Classique volume in the UK retail comes from a single producer. That's not a ceiling – it's an open door. Buyers told us they actively want more producers offering them something different.
2. £10–20 is where the opportunity lives
Across Tesco, Waitrose and The Wine Society, £10–15 is repeatedly identified as the price band where Cap Classique converts customers trading up from Prosecco. However, there's also real potential at £15–20 for wines that lead with quality. If your wine has spent 12+ months on lees, say so. That brioche-rich complexity is exactly what UK consumers are learning to appreciate.
3. Crémant did this in a decade. Cap Classique can too
A decade ago, almost nobody in the UK had heard of Crémant. Now it's the fastest-growing alternative sparkling category in the country. Cap Classique has the same credentials – traditional method, terroir-driven, genuinely better value. The path is proven. It just needs producers to walk it.
"Cap Classique has grown 218% at Waitrose over the past 10 years and 30% over the last five. It's a category with real momentum," said Alexandra Mawson, the Champagne and sparkling wine buyer at Waitrose.
4. UK sparkling wine buyers aren't coming to you – so you need to go to them
One of the clearest messages from the panel: sparkling wine buyers aren't currently travelling to South Africa. If you're waiting to be discovered on a buying trip, you'll be waiting a while. The opportunity is there, but you'll need to bring your wines to the market.
5. Generic pitches get ignored. Targeted ones get read
Buyers were clear: most pitches they receive are a PDF, a price, and nothing else. Do your homework – know the retailer's range, know where your wine fits, and come with data. A well-researched approach gets a very different response.
Victoria Mason MW of The Wine Society said, "Do your research. Understand the retailer, understand the range, and show where your wine fits. A targeted approach always stands out."
6. Medals move bottles – especially the right ones
The IWSC was repeatedly cited as one of the competitions most respected by the UK buyers and retailers. A medal isn't just recognition – it's a sales tool. It can be used on the shelf, online and in marketing materials. The buyers’ advice was simple: put it on the bottle.
"IWSC is one of the competitions we look to most closely. Medals from respected UK competitions genuinely help drive sales," said Beh Kelly MW, wine product development manager at Tesco.
7. Your story only works if it's clear
UK consumers connect emotionally with South Africa – its landscapes, climate and culture. But that story often doesn't make it onto the label. If a consumer can't tell at a glance that your wine is Cap Classique, and what that means, the story isn't doing its job.
8. The on-trade is wide open
Here's the headline takeaway: Cap Classique is almost completely absent from the UK restaurant and bar by-the-glass lists – even though its price and quality make it perfect for exactly that. Buyers see a clear link between on-trade visibility and retail sales. This is genuinely uncontested ground.
"Cap Classique needs the same simple, memorable message that helped build Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Consumers need to understand what it is, where it's from, and why it matters. We'd love to see producers unite arpund a clear message about what Cap Classique is, while still retaining their individual identities and stories," the buyers all agreed.
So, what's the single best thing you can do right now? Enter IWSC 2026.
An IWSC medal is one of the most credible signals you can put in front of the UK buyers – the same ones who told us that recognised medals genuinely influence their decisions. It's also your route into the conversations, relationships and visibility that this market rewards.
The UK market is ready for Cap Classique to have its moment. The producers who move first will be the ones who define what that moment looks like.
Entry deadline for IWSC Judging in South Africa: 3 July 2026. Enter now.