Kanonkop: Bombastic wines from Stellenbosch

The famous Kanonkop wine estate is located on the foothills of the Simonsberg in Stellenbosch, one of the best red wine regions in South Africa. The Simonsberg area is also known as the “red wine basin” of South Africa. The summer days are long, cool breezes blow in from the sea and the soil consists of red granite with a high clay content, which retains water well. The Kanonkop Estate has been producing some of the best Pinotage in South Africa for years.

For some connoisseurs, the Kanonkop Estate produces the best Pinotage in South Africa. It is a cross between Cinsault and Pinot Noir, which was bred in South Africa at Stellenbosch University in 1925. As early as 1959, Kanonkop Pinotage performed better than Cabernet Sauvignon at the traditional Cape Wine Show, which can perhaps be explained by the advanced age of the vines. The Pinotage wines are especially predestined for the production of storable wines. At Savinis you will find the Cabernet Sauvignon, Paul Sauer and Pinotage wines from Kanonkop.

Kadette wines from Kanonkop

In addition to the Estate Wines, the Kanonkop winery introduced a second label, Kadette, in the mid-1980s. These are effectively the junior wines alongside the tried and tested Estate Wines from Kanonkop. Savinis offers rosé and Pinotage from the Kadette wines, a limited amount of Cabernet Sauvignon and the Cape Blend.

The vineyard covers a total of 100 hectares. Around 60 employees work for the Kanonkop Estate. There are 50 hectares under cultivation for Pinotage, although this is not enough to meet the entire demand. Grapes are also purchased for the Kadette wines, which are produced under strict specifications and controls. The remaining 50 hectares are used for 30 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 15 percent Merlot and 5 percent Cabernet Franc. Fermentation takes place in traditional open fermenters. This allows gentle extraction of the grapes during fermentation. However, a lot of manual work is required. The result is fine tannins of perfect quality, which give the wine a long life. The wine is matured in new 225-liter oak barrels.

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Cannon greeted arriving ships

The name of the wine farm comes from a cannon that stood on a hill (kop) on the farm to greet ships arriving in South Africa. In this way, the farmers knew when they could deliver wine and fresh vegetables to the port. A model of this cannon can be seen today in the entrance to the Kanonkop wine estate.

The owners of the farm are Paul and Johann Krige. Their love of Pinotage was the basis for the great successes that followed with this special grape variety. In 2004, the baton was handed over to oenologist Abrie Beeslaar. He continues the tradition of these excellent wines to this day. Johann Krige, responsible for the management of the business since 1990, is committed to consistent quality at the highest level.