Krone Winery, based in the Tulbagh region north of Paarl, is known throughout its native South Africa as synonymous with the production of Cap Classique. Just over ten years ago, the winery went through its first change in ownership in its 300-year history. This summer, team members Abigail Rands and Rudiger Gretschel were in the UK to talk about the story so far and taste through their range of premium, traditional method sparkling wines. We sent The Buyer’s Mike Turner along to find out more.
I love a bargain. Value for money is my MO. I’m the kind of guy that goes into a supermarket for a loaf of bread and some milk and comes out with a trolley full of yellow labels. Nothing changes when I’m stood in front of wine shelves, so when I first came across Methode Cap Classique wines about a decade or so ago, I felt like I’d been let into this random little secret that the wine trade wanted to keep to itself. These wines were incredible quality for the price you were paying.
I’ve unfortunately never had the pleasure of visiting South Africa so, in order to enjoy these sparkling wines, I’ve been completely at the mercy of UK importers. If you’re like me and you’ve been a fan of bubbles in the UK in the past decade or so, you will have, no doubt, enjoyed a glass or two of Graham Beck. KWV’s Laborie may have also come onto your radar.
Krone Winery, in fairness, might be a new one on many of you. Within its native South Africa, however, they are seen as synonymous with premium level sparkling wines, and a renewed energy to promote these wines to the UK market gave me a wonderful opportunity to find out more in the company of head of sales and marketing, Abigail Rands, and cellarmaster Rudiger Gretschel.
The story behind Krone Winery
The Krone Winery dates back to 1710, making it one of the oldest estates in the Tulbagh Valley, to the north of Paarl in South Africa’s Coastal Region. It is based at the Twee Jonge Gezellen estate, tucked into the northwest corner of the Tulbagh wine region, with vineyards adorning the eastern slopes of the Saronsberg Mountain.
The estate began producing wine in the 20th century and is credited as one of the first wineries to perform cold fermentation in the 1950s. By the 1980s the estate had established itself as experts in the production of traditional method sparkling wines, with the first Krone Borealis (vintage 1987) being released in 1991 to much acclaim.
In 2012, the farm was bought by the Rands family, whose patriarch Tim had started up Vinimark wine distribution company in 1985. The team now consists of Rands family brother and sister duo, Svend and Abigail, as well as renowned Cape winemaker Rudiger Gretschel, also a consultant at Vinimark, as cellar master.
“Krone had been in same family for 300 years,” recalled Gretschel, “but when the family fell on difficulties the estate was placed on auction. I had worked with Abbie’s dad for a while, and we had this crazy idea that this is something we should take on.”
To complete the impressive line-up, Gretschel (who admitted to having “never made bubbles in his life before”) was joined at Krone by Cap Classique specialist and head winemaker Stephan de Beer.
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