South Africa

Question 1

Location

Answer 1

MCC: 
- mainly Stellenbosch and Franschhoek
- increasingly Constantia, Paarl, Robertson
Carbonated:
- Anywhere

Question 2

Climate

Answer 2

Warm Mediterranean
Sea breezes (from False Bay and Cape Doctor) cool coastal vineyard sites

Question 3

Grape Varieties: MCC

Answer 3

No restrictions
But, CCPA recommends: 
- Chardonnay
- Pinot Noir
- Pinot Meunier
- Chenin Blanc
- Pinotage (often takes place of Meunier due to small plantings of Meunier)

Question 4

Grape Varieties: Carbonated

Answer 4

No Restrictions but:
- Char
- Chenin Blanc
- Pinotage
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Muscat
- Colombard
are popular
- Sourced from Robertson and Worcester

Question 5

Viticulture

Answer 5

• Grapes grown everywhere, but best quality grapes grown on East and SE facing slopes (morning sun, relatively cool during hot afternoons)
• shade from mountain tops
• Harvest date is crucial - balance green flavours with diminishing acidity
• • higher sugar levels for wines destined to become wine soda

Question 6

Winery: MCC

Answer 6

Traditional Method
9+ mo lees
– CCPA recommends 12+ mo on lees

Question 7

Winery: Carbonated

Answer 7

• Sugar levels adjusted before carbonation

- Wine is chilled, passed through carbonator, stored under pressure to allow absorption of CO2

Question 8

Styles: MCC

Answer 8

• Similar to Champagne, including Prestige blends
• Vintage produced every year, so quality connotations diminished
• 75%+ production bottles as Brut (less than 15 g/L)

Question 9

Styles: Carbonated

Answer 9

• Full range Extra Brut to Sweet
• white, pink, red
• most pink blend of red and white base wines

Question 10

History & Important Producers: MCC

Answer 10

• term adopted in 1992, due to banned terms associated with Champagne
• MCC always on label to distinguish from cheaper production methods
• started at Simonsig Wine Estate in Stellenbosch in 1968
• • Frans Malan’s frist MCC released in 1971, called Kaapse Vonkel
• Villiera Wine Estate
• • first commercially important 1984
• • significant part of their portfolio sparkling
• Graham Beck
• • Graham Beck Robertson wine region Winery
• • 1991 first vintage produced
• • PN and Chardonnay sparkling wine focus
• • limestone soils
• • just under half of production now MCC
• 75% MCC wines made with white and black cultivars
• BdB next largest ~1/3 of brands produced
• Rose ~14% of MCC brands
• Brut style most popular

Question 11

CCPA

Answer 11

• 1992
• promote premium MCC wines, and common interest of producers
• established MCC as generic term to describe wines to support international awareness
• established technical criteria, organoleptic approval of base wines
• all serious MCC producers members of CCPA

Well-known brands: Desiderius & Scintilla - The House of J.C. le Roux

Question 12

Important Producers: Carbonation

Answer 12

Three brands dominate local market:
- Fifth Avenue Cold Duck
- Grand Mousseux
- The House of J.C. le Roux
All sweet styles