Level 1:
The First Star Cap Classique Course

A fun and exciting interactive encounter with Cap Classique in a three-hour session. It includes the basics of how South Africa’s finest bubbles are made, practical service rituals, tips to make the most of your appreciation as well as a tasting journey through the various styles and expressions of the category. This course is aimed at anyone who has the slightest curiosity in Cap Classique from complete beginners to enthusiastic lovers of bubbles.

Reach for the stars at the Cap Classique Academy

We are delighted to share the launch of the Cap Classique Academy in collaboration with the Cap Classique Producer’s Association

This educational initiative is the brainchild of Pieter ‘Bubbles’ Ferreira, Chair of the Cap Classique Association, in response to growing interest in the Cap Classique category. “There is far more to Cap Classique than meets the eye! Trust me. Just stylistically there are so many variables,” says Pieter. “There is so much to learn about the intricacies of tasting Cap Classique and discerning the diverse styles that have emerged since 1971 when the first Cap Classique was produced.”

Pieter has presented the module on Champagne and Sparkling Wine at the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business Michael Fridjhon Wine Judging Academy since its inception in 2007. “This experience made me aware of the gap that exists in understanding wine with bubbles in it. Each year we have managed to improve the understanding of how to evaluate sparkling wine with the emphasis on Cap Classique,” he says, “although the explosion of interest in the category in recent years calls for a well-supported dedicated education platform.”

The Cap Classique Academy is committed to teaching, training and sharing the love of South Africa’s bottle-fermented bubbly in three levels of learning facilitated by the Cape Wine Academy. “This series of courses that specialise in the art, science and appreciation of Cap Classique has been taking shape over quite some time and aligns perfectly with the Cape Wine Academy’s vision to further the education and training of South African wine. We have shared ideas and expertise to present an exciting and thorough three-tier journey through the constellation of Cap Classique,” says Heidi Duminy, Principal of the Cape Wine Academy.

“We have come a very long way in fifty years,” reflects Pieter, “but imagine how much we still have to discover, as the proud blaze of Cap Classique progresses. Come and learn more about our past, our present and what is written in the stars!”