On the hill above the Kanonkop vineyards there once stood a cannon. When it was fired, the farmers around knew a ship had sailed into Table Bay and there was trade to be done. That's where the name comes from, and it's where Kadette comes from too: the cadet, the youngest in line, the estate's second label. Made and bottled on Kanonkop by the same team, but a wine you don't have to hide away for years.

Character

This is Cabernet Sauvignon the way I like to drink it: ripe dark fruit, without ever getting heavy. A year in French oak adds a layer of vanilla and some roundness, but the wood never takes over. The tannins are there, you can feel them, and that's exactly what makes it so good with food.

Tasting notes

• Colour — bright ruby.
• Nose — vanilla, ripe cassis and black cherry, with a hint of green pepper.
• Palate — juicy red fruit and a light savoury edge.
• Finish — firm grip, yet refreshing.

How I serve it

At 16 to 18 °C. Open it half an hour ahead and give the fruit time to come forward.

• With a rib-eye off the grill and nothing more than flaky salt.
• With lamb shanks slow-roasted with rosemary.
• With a beef and ale pie on a cold evening.
• With a wedge of mature cheddar once the plates are cleared.

What to do with it

A name like Kanonkop always goes down well when you're invited somewhere, and this bottle shows what the estate can do without the price of its flagship wines. It drinks well now, but according to the estate it will keep for three to seven years, longer if stored well. Received it as a gift? Lay it down somewhere cool and bring it out for the first barbecue or the first stew of the season.

Origin & facts

• Grape — Cabernet Sauvignon 100%
• Origin — Wine of Origin Stellenbosch, South Africa
• Alcohol — 14% vol
• Volume — 75 cl
• Winemaking — fermented in open concrete tanks at 28 °C, punched down every two hours; 12 months in second- and third-fill 225-litre French oak barrels (Nevers)
• Producer — Kanonkop, Stellenbosch (South Africa)
• Allergens — contains sulphites