Kanonkop

Kanonkop Review

In the days when ships of the Dutch East India Company used Cape Town as a refreshment station on the way to the East, a ship would fire a cannon as it entered the harbor to let farmers know provisions were needed, and a set of relay cannons, all set on hilltops, would carry the message far inland. One such cannon was on this farm, which was then called Kanonkop, Afrikaans for Cannon Hill. The beauty of Kanonkop today is not in its history or its buildings but in its wine. Winemaker Abrie Beeslaar has taken over from the legendary Beyers Truter (a very hard act to follow), but Kanonkop continues to reel in numerous awards and accolades. Paul Sauer, a blend of about 80% cabernet sauvignon with the balance made up of equal parts merlot and cabernet franc, rakes in awards year after year, and the winery won two golds and a silver at the Decanter World Wine Awards in May 2009. Check out the 2007 Pinotage and its 2005 cab sauv. You're going to wish you could take caseloads home with you. There are no guided cellar tours, but during harvest you can do a walkabout in the cellar to see all the action. An added attraction to this farm is the art gallery that opened in October 2008. The thinking behind the project was to bring fine South African art—and wine—to the people. It has succeeded!