“The perception of our wine is not based on a story or on an idea; it is based on what is in the bottle.”
Abrie joined Kanonkop in 2002 and still agrees that to be offered the task of winemaker at the estate before the age of 30 was a monumental opportunity, and one he certainly grabbed with both hands.
He is a firm believer that the soils, the climate and the topography will have the ultimate say in how the wine from a specific vintage will taste.
Three times – in 2008, 2015 and 2017 – Abrie received the International Wine and Spirit Competition’s award for International Winemaker of the Year. In 2019, at the same competition, he was also the first ever recipient of the Outstanding Wine Producer Trophy, awarded to the winery achieving consistently over the competition’s illustrious 50-year history. Under Abrie’s watch, Kanonkop has won enough trophies, gold medals and certificates of merit to fill one of those big concrete fermenters he uses during harvest season. Being the humble person that he is, he’ll be the first to acknowledge that by the time he arrived at Kanonkop, some pretty solid groundwork had been done by his two legendary predecessors. In 2018, Abrie also became the first South African winemaker to see one of his wines – the Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2015 – receive a perfect 100-point score from British Master of Wine Tim Atkin.
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc
Wine of Origin Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
The Paul Sauer stands as one of South Africa’s pioneering Bordeaux-style blends, crafted from grapes harvested from 30-year-old vines that yield just 2 to 5 tons per hectare. During fermentation, traditional manual punch-downs were meticulously carried out in open-top fermenters. Following fermentation, the wine was aged in 100% new French oak barrels for a period of 24 months, allowing it to develop complexity and depth. Notably, the Paul Sauer made history as the first South African wine to achieve a perfect score of 100 points from esteemed wine critic Tim Atkin, further solidifying its status as a benchmark in the country’s winemaking landscape.
Tasting Notes: Floral rather than fruit typifies this wine. With the perfume you might find some red fruit, and nutty savoury notes. The delicate nose is supported with a powerful structure that lingers for ages.
Ready for drinking from 2025 onwards.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
100% Pinotage
Wine of Origin Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
Kanonkop is a pioneer among Pinotage producers in the Cape. This wine was crafted from 53-year-old dry land bush vines, with low yields of 4-5 tons per hectare. During fermentation, traditional manual punch-downs were meticulously performed in open-top fermenters. Following this process, the wine matured for 18 months in 100% new French oak barrels.
Tasting Notes: Deep red colour with aroma of plums, blackcurrant and mocha. The palate is structured with dark fruit and sweet spice notes. The wine has a dry, mouthwatering finish.
Ready for drinking from 2025 onwards.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 14% Merlot
Wine of Origin Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
Tasting Notes: A typical expression of cassis and liquorice on the nose. The palate shows tension that flows into a fresh, savoury aftertaste.
Ready for drinking from 2025.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot
The different vineyards are planted next to each other on the lowest-lying
part of the farm. The grapes are destemmed, sorted, and then fermented in
open top “kuipe” for 6 days. After malolactic fermentation in tank, the
blend is made and the wine is then matured in 100% new French oak barrels
for 24 months.
Tasting Notes: Blackberry, spice and
freshly cut flowers on the nose. This wine has a complex structure, with a
lively acid and a dry finish.
Ready for drinking in 2025.
Estimate (6 bottles): R 10 000 – R14 000
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
100% Pinotage
Old unirrigated bush vines with yields of 4 tons/hectare were used to make this wine. The grapes were destemmed, sorted and fermented in open top “kuipe” for four days. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in barrel and spent a total of 19 months in barrel.
Tasting Notes: Deep red colour with dark fruit and spices on the nose. The palate is rich but balanced with a long, savoury aftertaste.
Ready for drinking in 2024.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot
Wine of Origin Simonsberg- Stellenbosch
The different vineyards are planted next to each other on the lowest-lying part of the farm. The grapes are destemmed, sorted, and then fermented in open top “kuipe” for 6 days. After malolactic fermentation in tank, the blend is made, and the wine is then matured in 100% new French oak barrels for 24 months.
Tasting Notes: Very typical floral notes of a young Paul Sauer. The oak is well integrated and adds to the complexity and tension of the wine. On the finish the wine has a typical, salivating dryness with a long aftertaste.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
100% Pinotage
Old, unirrigated bush vines with yields of 3-4 tons/ha were used to make this wine. The grapes were destemmed, sorted, crushed and fermented in open top “kuipe” for four days. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in barrel and spent a total of 20 months in barrel.
Tasting Notes: Deep ruby red colour, with aromas of plums, cedar and sweet spices. The palate is well-structured, with a beautiful balance, and ends with a long dry finish.
Ready for drinking from 2024.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot
Wine of Origin Simonsberg, Stellenbosch
Winemaker Abrie Beeslaar The different vineyards are planted next to each other on the lowest lying part of the farm. The grapes are destemmed, sorted and then fermented in open top “kuipe” for six days. After malolactic fermentation in tank, the blend is made and the wine is then matured in 100% new French oak barrels for 24 months.
Tasting Notes: A beautiful balance between perfumed floral notes and blackberry on the nose. On the palate this wine has great balance, with a lively acid, and a dry finish.
Ready for drinking in 2024 and beyond.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
Grapes from 28 year old vineyards were picked at 24 degrees Balling. At the cellar the grapes were destemmed, sorted and crushed into open top “kuipe”. The skins were punched down every two hours for five days. After malolactic fermentation, the blend was made and the wine went into 100% new French oak barrels for 24 months.
Tasting Notes: Perfume, red berries and floral notes are prominent on the nose, with a friendly and elegant palate. This is a classic example of this wine and also representative of the vintage.
This wine will be ready for drinking in 2021.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
Old unirrigated bush vines with yields of 4-5 tons per hectare were used to make this wine. The grapes were destemmed, sorted, crushed and fermented in open top “kuipe” for four days. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in barrel and spent a total of 19 months in barrel.
Tasting Notes: Deep red colour with aromas of plum, cake spice and dark chocolate. The palate has a fruit sweetness that is balanced with savoury spice notes and a long dry finish.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
Grapes from 29-year-old vineyards were picked at 24° balling. At the cellar the grapes were destemmed, sorted and crushed into open top fermenters. The skins were punched down every two hours for six days. After malolactic fermentation the blend was made, and the wine went to 100% new French oak barrels for 23 months.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
Old unirrigated bush vines with yields of 3-5 tons per hectare were used to make this wine. The grapes were destemmed, sorted, crushed and fermented in open top “kuipe” for three days. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in barrel and spent a total of 18 months in barrel.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
Grapes from 29-year-old vineyards were picked at 24° balling. At the cellar the grapes were destemmed, sorted and crushed into open top fermenters. The skins were punched down every two hours for six days. After malolactic fermentation the blend was made, and the wine went to 100% new French oak barrels for 23 months.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
Old unirrigated bush vines with yields of 3-5 tons per hectare were used to
make this wine.
The grapes were destemmed, sorted, crushed and
fermented in open top “kuipe” for three
days. The wine underwent
malolactic fermentation in barrel and spent a total of 18 months
in
barrel.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
Grapes from 28 year old vineyards were picked at 24.5° Balling. At the cellar the grapes were destemmed, sorted and crushed into open top fermenters. The skins were punched down every two hours for five days. After malolactic fermentation the blend was made, and the wine went to 100% new French oak barrels for 23 months.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
Old unirrigated bush vines with yields of 3-5 tons/ha were used to make this wine. The grapes were destemmed, sorted, crushed and fermented in open top “kuipe” for three days. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in barrel and spent a total of 19 months in barrel.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
Grapes from 27 year old vineyards were picked at 24°B. At the cellar, the grapes were destemmed, sorted and crushed into open top fermenters. The skins were punched down every two hours for five days. After malolactic fermentation, the blend was made and the wine went to 100% new French oak barrels for 24 months.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
Old, unirrigated bush vines with yields of 3-5 tons/hectare were used to make this wine. The grapes were destemmed, sorted, crushed and fermented in open top “kuipe” for four days. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in barrel and spent a total of 18 months in barrel.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
Grapes from 26 year old vineyards were picked at 24.5 degrees balling. At the cellar the grapes were destemmed, sorted and crushed into open top fermenters. The skins were punched down every 2 hours for 6 days. After malolactic fermentation the blend was made and the wine went to 100% new French oak barrels for 24 months. Tasting Notes: Black fruit, cedar and spices are prominent on the nose, with a palate that is rich and complex. The wine has a beautiful balance with a long finish that leaves you appetized for more.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
20 to 50 year old bush vines with yields of 3-5 tons per hectare were used to make this wine. The grapes were de-stemmed, sorted, crushed and then fermented in open top “kuipe” for 4 days. All the wine underwent malolactic fermentation in the barrel and a further 14 months of barrel aging. Tasting Notes: Deep, red colour with a strawberry and plum aroma and a touch of vanilla. Dark fruit on the palate with plum and blackcurrant being the focus and mocha flavours adding to the complexity. The wine finishes with a dry aftertaste.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
Grapes from 26 year old vineyards were picked at 25 degrees balling. In the cellar, the grapes were de-stemmed, sorted and crushed into open top fermenters. The skins were punched down every 2 hours for 5 days. After malolactic fermentation, the blend was made and the wine went to 100% new French oak barrels for 24 months. Tasting Notes: Blackcurrant and spices dominate the nose with aromas carrying through to the palate. The palate has a freshness that ends in a dry, appetizing finish.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
30 year old trellised vineyards with 5 tons/hectare yields are used to produce this wine. The grapes were destemmed and sorted before fermentation, which took place in open top “kuipe” for 5 days. After malolactic fermentation, the blend was made and put in 100% new French oak barrels for 24 months. This is a selection of the best barrels of this wine. Tasting Notes: Deep cherry-red colour with raspberry, blackberry and a hint of bell-pepper on the nose. Rich blackcurrant and dark chocolate flavours add complexity to the velvet-like structure that finishes with a typical dry mouth feel.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
The grapes were picked at 24 degrees balling from 25 year old vines. They were de-stemmed, sorted, crushed and fermented for 5 days in open top fermenters. After malolactic fermentation, the blend was made and aged for 24 months in 100% new oak. After ageing, a blend was made of the best barrels that were selected from the lot. Tasting Notes: Dark cherry red colour with black currant, cedar and some bell pepper on the nose. The palate is structured and the fruit carries through to a long, slightly dry, aftertaste.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
These old bush vine vineyards were harvested by hand at 25 degrees balling. The grapes were de-stemmed, sorted and crushed. They were then fermented for 3 days in open top fermenters and punched down every 2 hours. The wine completed malolactic fermentation in tank and then spent 14 months in new French oak barrels before bottling. Tasting Notes: Very dark red colour with purple rim. The nose is packed with dark fruit, spice and some mocha flavours from the oak. The palate is rich and structured, with the fruit and spices lingering on. Enjoy with a wide range of dishes, from duck to spicy Asian style dishes.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
Cabernet Sauvignon 69%, Cabernet Franc 22%, Merlot 9% 30+ year-old trellised vineyards with 5 tons/hectare yields are used to produce this wine. The grapes were de-stemmed and sorted before fermentation, which took place in open top “kuipe” for 5 days. After malolactic fermentation, the blend was made and put into 100% new French oak barrels for 24 months. Tasting note: Deep cherry red colour with raspberry, blackberry and a hint of bell pepper on the nose. Rich blackcurrant and dark chocolate flavours add complexity to the velvet-like structure that finishes with a typical dry mouth-feel. This wine will be ready for drinking from 2013 onwards.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
100% Pinotage 20-50 year old bush vines with yields of 3-5 tons/hectare were used to make this wine. The grapes were de-stemmed, sorted, crushed and then fermented in open concrete “kuipe” for 4 days. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in barrel and was then treated to a further 14 months of barrel ageing. Tasting note: Deep red colour with a strawberry and plum aroma with a touch of vanilla. Dark fruit on the palate with plum and blackcurrant being the focus, with mocha flavours adding complexity. The wine finishes with a dry aftertaste. Drink from 2014 onwards.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
30 year old trellised vineyards with 5 tons/ha yields are used to produce this wine. The grapes were destemmed and sorted before fermentation, which took place in open top “kuipe” for 5 days. After malolactic fermentation, the blend was made and put in 100% new French oak barrels for 24 months. This is a selection of the best barrels of this wine. Tasting note: Wild and herbaceous with piercing mineral notes. Full vibrant palate, hints of passion fruit and tangerine elegantly balanced by subtle smokiness. This wine is a true reflection of cool terroir and will age wonderfully with careful cellaring.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
20 to 50 year old bush-vines with yields of 3-5 tons/ha were used to make this wine. The grapes were destemmed, sorted, crushed and then fermented in open top “”kuipe” for 4 days. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in barrel, followed by a further 14 months of ageing in 100% new oak barrels. Tasting note: Deep red colour with a strawberry and plum aroma and a touch of vanilla. Dark fruit on the palate with plum and blackcurrant being the focus, and mocha flavours adding to the complexity. The wine finishes with a dry aftertaste.
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
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