With two thirds Chardonnay and one third Pinot Noir, the Alvi’s Drift MCC Thornlands is a Methode Cap Classic (MCC). A South African version of “champagne”. This is a home grown grape cultivated in the Breede River Valley in Worcester. Our bubbles are created through a traditional method of combining sugar and yeast to incite a secondary fermentation in the bottled wine.
Technically Champagne can only be used to describe grapes which come from the Champagne region of France which shares the same traditional method of secondary fermentation as MCC.
Let the French claim Champagne as their own. A tradition dating back to the fabulous Sun King Louis XIV’s nephew, Philippe II, the Duke of Orleans. He made Champagne a fashionable craze among the affluent Parisian nobility of the early 18th century.
South Africa’s equivalent of “champagne” can be found in the Alvi’s Drift MCC Thornlands notable for its well balanced, sophisticated palate. The aromas of freshly baked bread crust and biscuits dominate the nose. Roasted almonds and walnuts are evident on the palet.
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The tinier the bubbles, the better the quality of the Method Cap Classic. If bubbles want to be prolonged, pour the delectable effervescent libation into a flute at an angle. Let the lascivious liquid run down the side of the glass preserving the bubbly.
Sparkling wine can be distinguished from Method Cap Classic as it has carbon dioxide added to it, a quicker method, which should not be confused with MCC or its French counterpart the renowned Champagne.
The Alvi’s Drift collection of sparkling wines, the Naughty Girl Range featuring labels like Rose´, Sahara and Nude, is a truly South African produced sparkling wine.
It’s all about the fermenting and the pressure of a champagne cork, but Alvi’s Drift estate has that covered in a bottle of the Premier Range MCC Thornlands. A perfect aperitif to be enjoyed with exotic canapés while toasting one of life’s marvelous milestones.
