148 of 800: Graham Beck Cap Classique in Robertson, South Africa

On the drive back from Robertson, I stopped by at Graham Beck which is my 148th winery visit in South Africa. I have been a few times before but never really captured the visit on my blog. This time I was prepared. Selina and I booked the "sparkle and pop" pairing in advance.

The Graham Beck Tasting Room:

The winery itself is actually a fair drive from the town of Robertson, kind of in the middle of nowhere. The building itself looks over a koi pond with a kind of horse sculpture at the forefront and bright orange walls. I must say, it does kind of feel like you are lost as this tasting room definitely doesn't showcase what the brand stands for such as modern, sophisticated elegance.

I am sad to say that the inside area isn't much better either, featuring a miss-match of brown leather couches, marble, a wooden bar area with very little seating and some rather random artwork on the walls. It is in desperate need of a makeover for sure! Don't let the tasting venue put you off though, Graham Beck produces some of the best Cap Classique in South Africa, they really do have a wide range of quality products and the staff are lovely.

Wine tasting

Graham Beck does cater for walk-ins though if you want to try the new "Sparkle and Pop" pairing, a booking in advance is absolutely essential. They offer a variety of tasting options starting from as little as R70 per person. You can check out the tasting room menu.

For the popcorn and cap Classique pairing, the popcorn is made fresh every day featuring local spices to go with 4 of their cap Classique wines:

• Graham Beck Pinot Noir Rosé 2017 - served with Biltong-dusted popcorn 
• Graham Beck Ultra Brut 2016  -served with Bokkom-infused popcorn 
• Graham Beck Bliss Nectar NV - paired with Cape Malay gourmet popcorn 
• Graham Beck Brut Rosé NV - paired with Beetroot, Raspberry + Buchu Meringue flavoured popcorn 

The Graham Beck Sparkle and Pop pairing is R150 per person.

I thoroughly enjoyed the pairings, I think the flavours worked quite well and it was worth the R150 per person. I didn't get to finish the popcorn but it was nice that the popcorn was presented in boxes so if you don't finish, you can simply take it home. The bubbly is served in Riedel glasses which I think is fabulous!

Contact Graham Beck:

For bookings and to ensure you don’t miss out, contact the Graham Beck Tasting Room via email at tastingroom@grahambeck.com or call 023 626 1214 to reserve your seat 24 hours in advance. Visit https://grahambeck.com/ for more details.

In conclusion:

This tasting room is definitely better suited for couples with no children. I would say that an average visit lasts about an hour or two so you can definitely make this a stop on your way to or way back from Robertson. This is not a venue for large gatherings or lunches. There isn't outside seating. Please also note that there are a lot of stairs up to the tasting room but there is also a lift.

Until next time,

much wine love

Leanne

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