Celebrate Cap Classique Day!
On September 1, South Africa comes together to celebrate Cap Classique Day, a sparkling tribute to the country’s proudly crafted sparkling wine made in the traditional French method. Known for their elegance, fine bubbles, and celebratory character, Cap Classique have become a cornerstone of South African winemaking, enjoyed both locally and abroad.
One of the most theatrical traditions linked to sparkling wine is sabrage—the centuries-old technique of opening a bottle with a swift stroke of a saber. Rooted in Napoleonic history, when victorious cavalry officers celebrated their triumphs by striking bottles open, sabrage has since become a symbol of glamour and festivity.
But what if you don’t own a saber? In a special video demonstration, Steyn Fullard, Marketing Manager of Weltevrede Wine Estate, shows how this age-old ritual can be recreated at home using everyday objects. With the right technique and a steady hand, you too can bring a touch of theatre to your Cap Classique celebration.
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Adding to the sparkle of this year’s festivities is the acclaimed Philip Jonker Cap Classique Collection from Weltevrede. Named after the estate’s winemaker, the collection captures the finesse and artistry that define South Africa’s sparkling wines. From the crisp and vibrant styles perfect for summer sipping, to the more complex, mature expressions ideal for a celebratory dinner, the range demonstrates just how versatile and world-class Cap Classique can be.
This Cap Classique Day, why not mark the occasion with both tradition and innovation? Whether you open your bottle with a gentle twist, a daring sabrage, or while enjoying a Philip Jonker Cap Classique from Weltevrede, raise your glass high in honour of South Africa’s sparkling excellence.
𝐷𝐼𝑆𝐶𝐿𝐴𝐼𝑀𝐸𝑅:
When performing a sabrage:
𝐸𝑛𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑏𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑎𝑠 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒. 𝑊𝑎𝑟𝑚 𝑏𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑎 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛. 𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑎𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑟 𝑘𝑛𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑎 𝑏𝑙𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑒𝑑𝑔𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑙, 𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑠. 𝑆𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑔𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑝𝑖𝑒𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑔𝑜 𝑓𝑙𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑠𝑜 𝑏𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑎𝑓𝑒. 𝐾𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 after 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒.
𝑂𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑑𝑜 𝑖𝑡 𝑖𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑑𝑜 𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑡 𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑘.
Poets’ Prayer Chardonnay 2024
Weltevrede Wine Estate Poets’ Prayer Chardonnay 2024 now available
Weltevrede Wine Estate in Bonnievale has just released its exclusive Poets’ Prayer Chardonnay 2024, a testament to exquisite craftsmanship and uncompromising quality. Meticulously created, this wine’s journey is formed through a process of selection over a period of 18 months from vineyard to bottle. The best quality Chardonnay from a particular vintage matured in the best choice of French oak barrels.
Only six barrels of this Chardonnay have been produced making this the ultimate Chardonnay to own in terms of luxury in scarcity. Every barrel is individually assessed throughout fermentation and aging, with the winemaking team tasting and evaluating depth, texture, and complexity at every stage. The result is a wine that reflects the estate’s terroir, the winemaker’s vision, and the poetic interplay of fruit, oak, and subtle restraint.
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“After 12 months on its primary lees in tight grain French oak barrels the vintage exceeds expectations revealing the typical classic chalklike minerality that is evident in all Weltevrede vintages, offering vibrance on the nose, a limegold luminescence and brilliance balanced by a tasty and textured mouthfeel that culminates in a multilayered and lingering finish” says owner and winemaker Philip Jonker.
Pre-released Weltevrede Poets’ Prayer Chardonnay 2024 became available for trade allocations on International Chardonnay day in May 2025 and is made available for public orders from 1 August 2025, at R950 per bottle. With such finite number of bottles available, this release offers collectors, enthusiasts, and premium wine trade partners the rare opportunity to secure a bottle. Poised to become a highlight in any cellar, the Weltevrede Poet’s Prayer 2024 celebrates its limestone terroir, and the artistry of slow, deliberate creation where every detail matters.
Is Calcrete the South African Answer to Chablis?
The Robertson Valley is quietly earning a global reputation for producing some of South Africa’s finest Chardonnays due to its limestone rich soils. At the heart of this recognition lies Calcrete, a style of Chardonnay shaped by the valley’s ancient, lime-rich soils. With its striking minerality, elegance, and purity, Calcrete is now being hailed as South Africa’s closest answer to Chablis.
The Robertson Valley’s soils are dominated by limestone deposits that date back millions of years, remnants of a prehistoric seabed. These calcareous soils are rare in South Africa and give Chardonnays from the region their defining edge: a clean line of acidity, subtle citrus and stone fruit flavours, and a chalky, almost saline finish. It is this mineral backbone that draws immediate comparisons with Chablis, yet Calcrete has its own authentic imprint.
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What makes Calcrete so exciting is its ability to capture both the precision of old-world wines and the vibrancy of the new world. While lovers of Chablis will find familiar notes of lemon zest, green apple, and wet stone, Calcrete offers a unique minerality from its arid chalky terroir. This interplay between tension and energy makes it a truly unique expression, one that has the potential to command serious attention on the international stage.
More than ten producers in the Robertson Valley produce Calcrete under their own brands establishing this as a true region defining appellation wine. Leading the charge is Weltevrede Wine Estate, a family estate deeply rooted in the limestone terroir between Bonnievale and Robertson. On 10 September 2025, Weltevrede will release its next vintage, the Weltevrede Calcrete Chardonnay 2025, for export orders at the Cape Wine International Tradeshow. A wine crafted to showcase this remarkable soil and the Jonker family’s dedication to Chardonnay.
As the world of wine grows ever more curious about terroir-driven expressions beyond Europe, Calcrete stands ready to claim its own place on the international stage.