We tasted Graham Beck’s first English sparkling wine at R1 200 a bottle
Graham Beck's first English sparkling wine launches in South Africa at R1 200 a bottle. We tasted it alongside a Chef Wandile pairing lunch at The Carnelian, Fourways.
Graham Beck's South African sparkling wine, launched in September 2026 at R1 200 per bottle, marks the brand's debut in producing English sparkling wine. The idea originated at ProWein in Düsseldorf in 2016, where a Graham Beck team tasted English wines and studied the geology of southern England, inspired by the chalk soils reminiscent of Champagne.
The wine house partnered with growers in Hampshire and West Sussex, sourcing individual parcels of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier to create base wines high in acidity, freshness and mineral character. The 2018 vintage proved bright in this regard, with De Klerk warning that the sharpness of the base wines required patience, resulting in a minimum of six years of ageing on the lees.
The wine's acidity, sugar content (2.3 g/L), and lengthy ageing process set it apart from English competitors, with tasting notes describing it as great, Champagne-like with no sunshine in the glass. Chef Wandile Mabaso paired the wine with a South African seafood menu, emphasizing the wine's crisp freshness when served with prized fatty tuna belly.
The 2018 vintage is produced in limited quantities and is expected to expand to the UK and selected international markets.
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