Who can say no to a glass of sparkling wine on a hot day, a celebratory occasion or when friends gather to share quality time? First and foremost, the physical attraction of Cap Classique is the craftsmanship that helped create those delicate pearly strings of bubbles in the glass and they didn’t happen overnight. That is why it is crucial to empower the consumer with the correct information to help everyone enjoy this product best. In fact, they say there are about 49 million bubbles in a 750ml bottle of Cap Classique, and these little guys can magnify minor mistakes, so there is absolutely no compromise on quality. Of course, one doesn’t want to think about the technicalities when a chilled glass is handed to you. You want to drink it! But it is essential to understand why you are paying a premium price for it.

We recently presented a tasting of four of their Cap Classique’s, and the preferences varied from sweeter to drier styles. The Ultra Brut had the most fans after we divulged more about its production and suddenly, the price was less irrelevant. 

The sweetness categories of Cap Classique can be pretty confusing, and the names don’t reflect the sweetness level per se. Dry styles vary from Brut nature (0-3g/L sugar) to extra brut (0-6g/L sugar) and Brut ( 0-12g/L sugar). Extra sec indicates a noticeable sweetness (12-17g/L sugar), Sec is sweeter (17-32g/L sugar) and Demi-Sec (at 32-50g/L sugar) is the sweetest style in the Graham Beck stable, although there is also Doux that contains 50+g/L sugar.

Therefore, the purpose of renaming Brut Zero to Ultra Brut was to highlight its intrinsic as a Brut Nature Style and no alterations whatsoever. Before we get to our experience of this wine, let’s recap the basics for those new to Cap Classique. Refer to their website for the whole story.

Grapes for Cap Classique are harvested earlier with lower sugar and higher acidities as it needs to go through alcoholic fermentation and the second fermentation in the bottle. As fermentation converts sugar into alcohol, the product needs to maintain low alcohol and freshness throughout. Because of its high acidity, Cap Classique, like champagne, is balanced with a dosage that includes sugar, making it more palatable for most consumers, although still tasting dry. The Ultra Brut received no sugar additions, so one can say it is the purest expression (brut nature) of place. But how can it taste so harmonious? The outstanding quality about the Ultra Brut is that although it is bone dry, it spent 60 months on the lees, adding weight and a creamy texture that built incredible layers of flavour into this wine. It is much bigger than one would expect and a preferred companion for summer.

Aromas of lemon zest, lemon preserve, lemon shortbread,

 peeled wedges of ruby grapefruit, loquat, fleshy figs, some hints of fennel and oyster shell all help build out this sparkling wine’s character. It shares an endless array of aromas and flavours, and as you serve different dishes, it weaves itself around the elements, always being the last taste standing. The wine is commanding with the first sip, the delicate mouse bracing your palate and filling out the corners of your mouth, carrying the flavour with its balance of fruit, creamy mouthfeel, and racy acidity. A salty trail adds dimension to its richness, leaving a porcelain

texture that refreshes your palate. We cooked a lemon, clam and fennel risotto as an accompaniment that will be a graceful starter for your 2021 Christmas table. Being lower in sugar also means you can have that helping of Christmas pudding with another glass of this Cap Classique guilt-free! 

Buy the wine here: www.grahambeck.com or join the conversation by following @GrahamBeckBubbly on Facebook and Instagram. By joining the Graham Beck Society at no additional costs, you can also qualify for great benefits. 

Gallery of our experience.

All images copyright Samarie Smith and/or the featured estate.