Desiderius

This wine pairs well with a variety of dishes, such as oysters, lobster, fish and chips, and richer options like fried chicken or even holiday feasts, due to its structure and acidity​.

Desiderius is crafted from carefully selected Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes grown in the Western Cape, known for producing high-quality Cap Classique wines. The cool-climate terroir contributes to its finesse and minerality.

Made using the traditional method, this wine undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle, followed by extended aging on the lees for added complexity and depth, which brings out its rich, toasty profile.

After leading the Cap Classique wave for over a decade with its Brut, Pongrácz raised the bar even higher with the launch of the Grande Cuvée, Desiderius, in 2002, and a Brut Rosé in 2009. The latest addition to the range is the Noble Nectar in a Demi-Sec showcasing the innovation of production. Our goal is to create wines of exemplary quality and character by utilising traditional winemaking techniques that complement the unique qualities derived from our vineyards, in a style that best reflects each Cap Classique. The wines are complex and showcase a flawless balance between terroir-driven grapes and excellence in winemaking. Our philosophy is to combine the best possible characteristics from multiple terroirs, and to blend them in suitable combinations in order to achieve the consistency in quality our consumers expect from our non-vintage blends. But our multiple terroir strategy also allows us to pick the best small lots of grapes from a range of top microclimates and blend them for our super premium vintage offerings as well. Every vintage tells the story of the hand-selected pockets that, in combination, produced a most superior final blend. Besides the attention to detail that goes into the selection of components for the base wine, the second fermentation in bottle and the time spent on lees, is a further part of the art that we never compromise on. Special vintage Cap Classique needs time, and our philosophy is never to rush this crucial last stage. Because of this philosophy we have the very proud history of Desiderius as our most awarded Cap Classique in the range. The international recognition that we have achieved in the past is affirmation of what we passionately believe to be a product of highest quality and international standards.