Simonsig Wine Estate shines a light on the excellence of older vintages with a month-long focus on the topic that includes a series of insightful talks pairing winemakers in conversation with esteemed South African wine professionals.
This latest campaign is a lockdown stand-in for the hugely popular Vintage Day, which marks its eighth anniversary this year. Sales of the rare wines will still take place, except that this year Simonsig has taken it online. Vintage Day happens at the end of this month, with special tastings in the lead-up.
“Every year we take some of the best wines of the vintage to keep in the cellar to see how they develop over time. We’ve made them available at special occasions over the years,” says Simonsig marketing manager Francois-Jacques Malan. “With 2020 being as it is, many of us have reached deep into our collections during the year and some may well have been surprised by how well wines showed with age”.
“Our Vintage Day for 2020 is therefore the ideal opportunity for wine-lovers to re-stock their cellars with perfectly aged wines. It’s also a great chance for people new to wine, to taste the effect of maturation”.
Simonsig is releasing nearly 40 different wines of its older vintages that would not otherwise be available for sale. The sale of these wines will go live on Friday, October 30th at 12h00 and will close at midnight on November 1st.
A dedicated website supports the initiative with information, videos, tasting notes and an online shop.
Visitors to Simonsig can get a sneak-peek of what is to come on Vintage Day when every weekend a small selection of wines will be made available for tasting:
10 & 11 October: Pinotage & Cape Blends
17 & 18 October: Mr Borio’s Shiraz & Merindol Syrah
24 & 25 October: Cap Classique
30 & 31 October: Cabernet Sauvignon & Tiara
The two main events see winemaker Michael Malan share the stage at 18h30 to 19h30 with his father Johan, One&Only Cape Town Head Sommelier Luvo Ntezo and award-winning wine writer Malu Lambert will discuss the Tiara, Simonsig’s flagship red, on Friday 30 October. The following day, from 10h30 to 11h30, Cap Classique is the focus with winemaker Charl Schoeman and Johan Malan chatting to Chefs Warehouse Sommelier Penny Setti and Cape Wine Master Heidi Duminy.
Guests wanting to enjoy the unique opportunity of joining these events by tasting along can pre-order The Tiara vertical tasting of 6 vintages: 1998, 2002, 2005, 2011, 2013 and 2016, priced at R1950, whilst the Cap Classique Vertical of 6 vintages: 2003, 2005, 2011, 2013 Kaapse Vonkel Brut, 2015 Kaapse Vonkel Brut Rose and Cuvee Royale 2011 is priced at R1100. Order these packs here https://www.simonsig.co.za/vintage-day/
