Graham Beck Brut

I’ve always been a huge fan of South African wines. There’s something about them that I find really appealing (and it’s not just the price!). In 1994, when I worked over Christmas at the MLCC, I didn’t know much about wine. I picked up a bottle of the Neethlingshof Estate “Neethlingshoffer”, a simple, easy-drinking white blend. And I was hooked.

So when I noticed the Graham Beck Brut at my local liquor store, I had to pick it up. I don’t think $16.71 is unreasonable for a good sparkling wine, since I love real Champagne, but only if someone else is buying. Decent Champagnes in this part of the world will generally cost you at least $50. A good Napa Valley sparkling wine will set you back around $25, and the better Spanish wines are around $13 or $14.

On to the wine. The Graham Beck Brut is made from Pinot Noir (50%) and Chardonnay (50%). It’s made in the traditional Champagne style (fermented in the bottle), which is called “Méthode Cap Classique” in South Africa. Since only wines from the Champagne region in France can legally be called Champagne (although this rule is widely ignored), many countries have come up with their own terms for sparkling wine.

In the glass, it shows a pale golden yellow; with a very fine mousse (“mousse” refers to the size of the bubbles, or beads as they are known). Typically, the finer the mousse, the better the wine. You can tell the quality of a sparkling wine by the size of the bubbles.

The nose (a more refined way of saying “smell”) is like a bakery in the morning with lots of yeast and butter. This follows through in the mouth, with a rich, almost creamy flavour and lots of nice little bubbles to roll over your tastebuds. The richness comes from the Pinot Noir, while the creaminess comes from the Chardonnay. And it’s got a very long finish to top it all off. An excellent sparkling wine and worth $16.71 ($19.05 after taxes).