DRINK

 

Captivated by MCC

 

 

 

 

Think of films, where you see a character and they say “my name is X, I haven’t had a drink for 100 days”. This tale is kind of the opposite. We’ve been drinking MCC for 50 days.

So why such decadence?

First we were in a celebratory mood, after finally being able to travel back to the Mother City after too much time away, and fortunately just before many international flight bans.

But mostly our 50 day challenge in 2021 was to mark 50 years of Cap Classique. These divine Cape bubbles are produced in the same traditional way as champagne, method champenoise. But the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes in MCC are grown across South Africa’s Western Cape, not in France.

And so we quaffed.

The first batch of MCC was produced by a wine maker called Frans Malan at Simonsig estate,  and released in 1971. We shared a commemorative Simonsig ’50’ bottle with friends, during the festive season.

There were several special MCC tastings over the last 50 days. The first were our ‘MCC flights’ in the MCC room in Wale Street, Cape Town. We were presented with five very different MCCs to savour.

We travelled into wine country. The Western Cape’s Route R62 is the world’s longest wine route and there are countless excellent wine farms to visit.

Our first stop was at Graham Beck. Where better to sip cool MCC? Every visit is an occasion. When we first visited the estate, Pieter Ferreira was their wine maker. He was with Graham Beck wines for 30 years. It was his Cap Classique that was chosen to celebrate the inauguration of President Nelson Mandela back in 1994. And it was Graham Beck MCC that was used to toast Barack Obama at his inauguration in 2008.

 

We have countless memories of coming to this wine estate, with various visitors. Our last visit was for part of a big birthday celebrations, two years ago. A wine contact had called ahead and arranged a special birthday tasting for us. We were warmly welcomed as always. And then we got to try six MCCs, in elegant Veritas glasses.

This visit was a little different, being served a similar selection of the estate’s MCCs but this time paired with popcorn, each one flavoured to compliment the wine. The box of Cape Malay popcorn, washed down with Graham Beck Bliss Nectar was sensational.

 

 

We travelled on to Bonnievale. We were booked on a new, guided MCC experience, ‘Captivated by MCC’ at Weltevrede.

 

 

We were welcomed in the gardens, where we learned a little of the estate’s history. The Jonker family has lived on Weltevrede since 1912. Then we were ushered inside, down into the old cellars, where there is an exhibition of champagne quotes, old MCC bottles and a collection of Champagne and MCC bottles. I promised to donate a Franciacorta bottle, to make Italy’s champagne style bubbles part of the display. We tried two of the latest vintages by Philip Jonker Brut.

Our next MCC tasting at nearby Silverthorn could not have been more different. There we met Karen, the wife of wine maker John Loubser, who has been making MCC wines for many years.

Karen welcomed us to their home, in a stunning setting by the Breede River.

 

 

We sat out in the scorching sunshine and tasted the whole range of Silverthorn’s MCCs, each one perfectly chilled and accompanied by a unique story.

It was a truly memorable afternoon. Each experience was different, and an opportunity to learn more about exquisite South African MCCs.

We were Captivated by MCC. Fifty days of quaffing was not really a challenge. Hardly a hardship, only pleasure really. Each uplifting glass gives us a chance to pause, celebrate life for a few moments and count the good.

We finished the year with hot, salty chips and perfectly chilled MCC; ‘Fizz and chips’.

We recall the slogan at Graham Beck; ‘Celebrate what matters’ as we draw a line under 2021 and welcome this new year.

May it sparkle!

 

© Maggie M / Mother City Time