​​Meet Vinkel: Our First Cap Classique (And We're Chuffed)

Spring's arrived and frankly, we're fizzing with excitement. After what feels like forever (but was actually just careful planning and even more careful waiting), we're finally ready to pop the cork on something we've been quietly plotting in the cellar.

Introducing Vinkel Brut 2024 - our very first Cap Classique. It’s been a long time coming, and well worth the wait.

Why Chenin?

When we first dreamed up Thistle & Weed nearly a decade ago, Chenin Blanc was the star of the show. It still is - but here's the thing about our favourite grape: it's a total shape-shifter. Dry, sweet, still, and now, sparkling.

As Etienne explains, “Chenin Blanc is an ideal base for superb sparkling wines. Early and evenly ripening young vineyards with high acidity and freshness from cool mountainside sites provide vibrancy to a refreshing, easy-drinking sparkler. It’s no surprise that most of the Chenin planted in France is used for making sparkling wines!”

From Simonsberg with Sparkle

This 100% sparkling Chenin Blanc originates from our trellised vineyards on the foothills of Simonsberg in Stellenbosch, where sandstone soils and coastal breezes help the fruit keep its clarity and crunch. 

We treated it the traditional way - bottle fermented and left on the lees for 12 months. Beneath its zingy core of citrus and green apple, you’ll find notes of almond, light brioche and the kind of fine bead that keeps you coming back for more.

VINKEL sparkling at our launch event

The Backstory Behind the Bubbly

As with all our wines, there is always a story to the name. You're probably wondering if we just made it up (we didn't, promise). In Afrikaans, ‘Vinkel en Koljander’ is the equivalent of ‘six of one, half a dozen of the other’ - two things that simply belong together. For us, bubbles and celebration are much the same: like Vinkel en Koljander, you can’t have one without the other.

Vinkel also takes a cue from Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) - the versatile plant that pops up just about everywhere in the Cape: in wild fields, veggie patches and on our plates. Its bulbs and fronds slip easily into stews, salads and roasts, while the seeds have long been brewed as a simple cure for all kinds of kitchen and garden ailments. Like Chenin, it’s a bit of a shape-shifter - hardy, generous and always finding a way to belong.

Built to Pop (and to Keep)

Vinkel Brut 2024 is ready to enjoy now, but has the bones to stretch its legs in the cellar if you can resist the temptation. Fresh, elegant and lightly mischievous, it’s a sparkling tribute to the moments that deserve something special. 

Steph puts it simply: “Very excited to bring this project to life, it’s been a dream to add a sparkling wine to the range for many years and finding the right site has been so important. It’s a big milestone for the team!”

Here’s to our first Cap Classique, and certainly not our last.

Order it here before its too late.