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Kanonkop Estate, Stellenbosch

November 29, 2022 11:16 am

Nestled on the slopes of Simonsberg Mountain, Kanonkop Wine Estate is a proud custodian of South African winemaking heritage. Now in the hands of fourth-generation brothers Paul and Johann Krige, the estate produces around three million bottles annually, with sales evenly split between domestic and international markets. Known exclusively for its red wines, Kanonkop champions two hero grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage. The estate’s flagship wines are meticulously matured in French oak barrels, incorporating a portion of new wood to enhance complexity and elegance.

The Kadette range, meanwhile, showcases fruit sourced from 30 local farmers, with Kanonkop’s own viticulturalist overseeing the growing process to ensure quality and consistency,. The estate traces its name to a nearby hill (or kop) where, in the 17th and 18th centuries, a cannon (kanon) thundered to signal the arrival of ships in Table Bay. This booming call once rallied local farmers to race their wagons to the harbor, laden with fresh produce.

 Since bottling its first wine in 1973, Kanonkop has become a benchmark for South African reds, carrying forward the legacy of the visionary Paul Sauer.

Tasting notes:

Kadette Range – A Young soldier ready for action!

Kadette dry Pinotage rose 2022

• Short skin contact, blush colour and burst of floral notes.
• Nice prickly mouth feel, sweet strawberry notes, peach, fresh acidity.

Cape Blend 2020

• 50% Pinotage plus Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, 14% ABV.
• Nice brambly nose with a bit of smoke, an inky note and touch of vanilla.
• Lovely juicy fruit, fullish body but good lift and spicy finish, good length.

Pinotage 2020 14%

• 100% Pinotage 14% ABV.  Really sweet red and black berries, touch of vanilla.
• More fruit on palate, soft chewy tannins, medium acidity, good length. Slight herbal finish. Very tasty

Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 14%

• Classic blackberry and black currant leaf on the nose.
• Nice dry fruit, herbal, savoury, nice grainy tannin, medium length.  Lovely and great value.

Estate wine Pinotage 2020

• Old vineyards with 60 year old bush vines. Pinotage is dry farmed
• Matured in 80% new oak. Classy barrel room notes of toast and spice.
• Lovely balance, and structure, brambly fruit, coffee notes, lots of length.

Estate Cab Sauvignon 2020

• Classic blackcurrant leaf and whiff of smoke.
• Blackberry is ripe but not over ripe ,mineral notes, very fine ripe tannin, lingering length. Long savoury finish!

Estate Paul Sauer 2020

• 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 15% Cab Franc. Matured in 100% new oak for 2 years.
• More of everything. Black plum, coco powder and spice.
• More talcum powdery ripe and super soft tannins. Lovely rounded fruit breadth. Very long.

In recent years Kanonkop have experienced very consistent vintages harvesting at same time of year but it is always  a race against time to harvest everything as it ripens all at once. They have not apparently noticed much effect in terms of global warming.

Posted by Kiran

Categories: South Africa, tasting notes, travel

Tags: cabernet sauvignon, pinotage, red-wine, South Africa, stellenbosch, travel, wine, Wine tasting

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