Babylonstoren’s Sprankel

WORDS Malibongwe Tyilo

Babylonstoren as we know and love it today opened the doors to its restaurant and guest suites in 2010. January 2011 also marked another new beginning for the Simondium farm: a brand new cellar opened up to welcome the farm’s first Chardonnay grape harvest. Fast-forward four years and those very same grapes have been vinified to create yet another new beginning, Sprankel, Babylonstoren’s new Méthode Cap Classique bubbly.

“I’m glad we were patient, because the four years have really made all the difference, keeping it on the lees has added layers and layers of complexity,” says cellar master Charl Coetzee. “After tasting this wine again and again over the past four years we decided it is just perfect as it is. It’s a layered wine that’s still very fresh. You don’t get the impression it’s an aged wine at all; as there are lots of primary flavours upfront on the palate.”

Thankfully, it’s just in time for the celebratory season. However, there are only 5 000 bottles of this maiden vintage available from the estate’s tasting room and its two restaurants, at R495 per bottle.

For more information, visit babylonstoren.com.