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Domaine des Dieux, Methode Cap Classique, Brut, Claudia, South Africa, 2017

Here is the latest vintage of this superb South African MCC (i.e. made in the same way as Champagne), acknowledged as one of the very best sparkling wines in the Cape. Double Gold winner for best Brut in the Amorim Cap Classique Challenge 2023. From 76% Chardonnay and 24% Pinot Noir, with six years on its lees, it stands comparison with plenty of far more expensive vintage Champagnes: yeasty, creamy and with great breadth on the palate. Now-2027

"One of the best bubblies I've had from Domaine des Dieux in a while, this makes the most
of the estate's sought-after grapes. Marrying Chardonnay with 20% Pinot Noir, it combines
a creamy, layered mid palate with lots of energy and stony minerality and sappy red berry,
liquorice and strawberry tart flavour." 92 points. Drink 2024-28. Tim Atkin MW, South Africa 2023 Speical Report, March 2023

The Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, which translates as Heaven on Earth, rises prettily from just west of Hermanus. When we first visited in 2003 the wineries, notably Hamilton Russell and Bouchard Finlayson, were all in the lower part of the valley, but more recently plantings at the top of the valley - higher, drier, with warmer days but cooler nights - have increased. Enjoying naturally low pH soils, and moderate temperatures, cooled by winds from the ocean, this really is a sweet spot in the Cape.

Domaine des Dieux is a small estate just above Ataraxia at the very top of the valley in the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge zone. The farm, with vineyards on the slopes of the Babylon's Toren mountain, was bought in 2002, with an initial focus on making the first sparkling wines in Hemel-en-Aarde (and boy have they succeeded) but still Chardonnay and Pinot Noir followed. Des Dieux have an interesting model: they have 20 hectares of unirrigated vines but no cellar (and no electricity on site either!). Winemaking of each of the wines is overseen by a specialist winemaker in local cellars.