South African Wine Educational Course

Module 2 – White Wine Styles

1. Cape white blends
2. MCC
1. Cape white blends
3. Dessert wines
2. MCC - Méthode Cap Classique
4. Fortified whites
3. Dessert wines

4. Fortified whites
 2.1 - Cape white blends

• Undefined category encompassing Chenin-based blends and

Bordeaux white blends.
• Most Cape white blends involve Chenin Blanc.
• Can be made at different quality levels from simple to premium.
• Increasing success with white Bordeaux blends, particularly
premium wines.
 2.2 - Simple Cape white blends

• • Most commonly
Most commonlyaablend
blendofofChenin
CheninBlanc
Blancand
and Sauvignon
Sauvignon Blanc.
Blanc.
• • Other
Other blending
blendingpartners
partnersfor
forChenin
CheninBlanc
Blanc––Viognier,
Viognier,
Chardonnay,
Chardonnay Colombard.
and Colombard.
• Generally unwooded.
• Generally unwooded.
• Entry level wines made for easy, everyday drinking.
• Entry level wines made for easy, everyday drinking.
 2.3 - Premium Cape white blends

• • Absenceof
Absence ofappellation
appellationrestrictions
restrictions allows
allows for
for innovative
innovative blends.
blends.

• • Often
Often based
based on
onChenin
Chenin Blanc
Blanc,but
butincluding a range
could include of different
a range of
varieties.
different varieties.
• Many top wines blend up to four different varieties, sometimes
• Many top wines blend up to four different varieties,
more.
sometimes more.
 2.4 - Premium Cape white blends

• • Increasing
Increasing interest
interest andand plantings
plantings of Rhône
of Rhône varieties,
varieties, used
used mainly
mainly in blends.
in blends.
• • Key blending
Key partners
blending – Viognier,
partners Chardonnay,
–Viognier, Semillon,
Chardonnay, Roussanne,
Semillon, RoussanneGrenache Blanc. Blanc.
and Grenache
• Often wooded and generally using older oak.
• Often wooded and generally using older oak.
• Very successful and growing category both at home and abroad.
• Very successful and growing category both at home and abroad.
 2.5 - Méthode Cap Classique

• South African name for traditional bottle-fermented sparkling

wine generally shortened to ‘MCC’.
• • South African name for traditional bottle-fermented sparkling
1971 – First bottle-fermented sparkling wine produced by
wine generally shortened to ‘MCC’.
Simonsig.
• 1971 – First bottle-fermented sparkling wine produced by
• 1992 – Cap ClassiqueProducers Association formed.
Simonsig.
• • 2015 –– 170
1992 Capproducers currently making
Classique Producers MCC.formed.
Association
• • 2015
2017 –– Approximately
170 producers currently
7.2 millionmaking
bottlesMCC.
of MCC produced
annually.
• 2015 – Approximately 7.2 million bottles of MCC produced
• annually.
2018 - 90 producers registered to produce MCC.
The total MCC production for 2018 was 6,887,339 bottles (750ml)
 2.6 - Méthode Cap Classique

• Minimum nine months on the lees.

• • Minimum
Minimum nine
threemonths
bars ofon the lees.in the bottle.
pressure
• Minimum three bars of pressure in the bottle.
• Any grape variety is permitted.
• Any grape variety is permitted.
• • Most MCCs
Most MCCs are
are made from Chardonnay,
made from Chardonnay, Pinot
Pinot Noir,
Noir, Chenin
Chenin
Blanc Pinotage.
Blanc, and Pinotage.
 2.7 - Méthode Cap Classique

• Proposed legal changes include increase of minimum lees time to 12 months and
creation of a premium category.
• Proposed legal changes include increase of minimum lees time to 12 months and
• creation
MCC hasof a premium
received category.
many international endorsements over other sparkling wines.
• MCC has received many international endorsements over other sparkling wines.
• Supporters include Barack Obama and Prince Albert of Monaco.
• Supporters include Barack Obama, Prince Albert of Monaco.
 2.8 - Dessert wines

• Categories include:
• Special Late Harvest
• Noble Late Harvest
• Wine made from naturally dried grapes
• Natural Sweet
 2.9 - Special Late Harvest

• No fortification permitted.
• No sweetening permitted.
• Minimum abv of 11%.
• Wine must have the character of fully ripened grapes.
 2.10 - Noble Late Harvest

• No fortification permitted.
• No fortification permitted.
• No sweetening permitted.
• No sweetening permitted.
• • Minimum residual sugar
Minimum sugar content
contentof
of50g/litre.
50g/litre.
• • Grapes
Grapes used
usedinclude
includeChenin
CheninBlanc,
Blanc,Riesling,
RieslingSemillon.
and Semillon.
 2.11 - Wine made from naturally dried grapes

• No fortification permitted.
• No sweetening permitted.
• Category includes grapes desiccated on the vine and straw
wines.
• Minimum combined actual and potential abv of 16%.
 2.12 - Natural Sweet Wine

• No fortification permitted.
• Minimum residual sugar of 20g/litre.
• Many are simple entry level wines, but some wines are made as
premium styles as well.
 2.13 - White Muscadel

• Fortified dessert wine made from one of the Muscat grapes.

• Often labelled ‘Hanepoot’ when made from Muscat
d’Alexandrie.
• Labelled ‘Muscadel’ when made from Muscat de Frontignan or
Muscat Blanc à Petit Grains.
• Best examples are capable of ageing for extended periods.
 2.14 - White Jerepigo

• Also known as ‘Jerepiko’.

• Fortified, unfermented grape juice.
• Becoming somewhat unfashionable.
 2.15 - Port-style wines

• 2012 –use of the word ‘port’ removed from South African

• 2012 – use
fortified of the word ‘port’ removed from South African
wines.
fortified wines.
• Wines now known as Cape Ruby, Cape Vintage, Cape White
• Wines now known as Cape White and Cape Pink.
and Cape Pink.
• Must be fortified wines.
• Must be fortified wines.
• Must be produced from non-Muscat varieties.
• • Must be
Must be aged
produced from non-Muscat
for a minimum varieties.
of six months (in oak for Cape
White).
• Must be aged for a minimum of six months (in oak for Cape White).
 2.16 - Sherry-style wines

• Mostly made from Chenin Blanc.

• Best examples are aged in a solera system for around four to six
years.
• Minimum abv for all styles is 16%.
• Colour and character of different styles is defined by law.
• Most South African sherries are sweeter than Spanish versions.