Cuvée Royale

Lively inspiring wines like the Cuvée Royale should be enjoyed with light delicate foods like fish, shellfish, crayfish, caviar, or artichoke hearts. Fresh succulent oysters are compulsory. At the end of a meal, Cuvée Royale will make an ideal partner for fresh desserts like fruit salad or sorbets. Or simply on its own just to celebrate a magic moment!

This will be remembered as a very dry year with the lowest rainfall of 476 mm ever logged in our records since 1976, 33% below our long term average. Fortunately, Simonsig has sufficient water resources to supplement natural rainfall. While yields were slightly lower than 2011, cooler conditions resulted in better quality and more concentrated fruit from smaller berries. The 2012 harvest started a little later than usual on 18 January. Despite the drought, the cool growing season resulted in good levels of acidity and the concentration of fruit was better than the hot 2011 vintage. Although Simonsig Estate and the Stellenbosch region had a smaller vintage, the wines are top quality across the whole spectrum.

After maturing in our cellars for more than 4 years the Cuvée Royale has now reached optimum maturity and can be enjoyed now. Careful cellaring will develop more depth of flavour and complexity.

Only the best Chardonnay grapes grown on the finest Stellenbosch soils are hand-selected to make this extraordinary Blanc de Blancs. Gentle whole bunch pressing yields only the finest cuvée. Primary fermentation took place in a stainless steel tank to ensure freshness and primary fruit.

Simonsig Wine Estate is synonymous with the history of the South African wine industry, the Stellenbosch wine region, and the Malan family name. These elements are intertwined in this family-owned farm, where the late Frans Malan produced the first bottle of our much-loved Kaapse Vonkel, South Africaʼs first Méthode Cap Classique made in the classic bottle-fermented style. He is also honoured for co-founding the thriving Stellenbosch Wine Route, a first in its time. Today, his legacy lives on through his sons, Francois and Johan, and grandchildren Francois-Jacques, Christelle and Michael, the 2nd and 3rd Malan generations at Simonsig Wine Estate.