Simonsig Family Vineyards

In 1942, Frans Malan purchased a piece of land from his in-laws on the slopes of the Simonsberg in Stellenbosch and began building what would become one of South Africa's most consequential wine estates. He constructed the first privately owned cold-fermentation cellar in the country -- a technological leap that signalled his ambition from the start. But Frans Malan's true legacy came in 1971, when he produced the first bottle-fermented sparkling wine in South Africa. He called it Kaapse Vonkel, meaning 'Cape Sparkle,' and in doing so invented an entire category: what is now known as Methode Cap Classique.

That same year, Malan co-founded the Stellenbosch Wine Route, the first of its kind in the country, opening the door for wine tourism across the Cape. Simonsig was not just making wine; it was shaping how South Africa understood and experienced wine.

Three generations later, the estate remains firmly in Malan family hands. Johan and Francois Malan, Frans's sons, serve as directors. Managing Director Ilana de Vries steers daily operations. And the cellar is now led by third-generation Cellarmaster Michael Malan, Johan's son, who assumed the role in 2022. Winemaker Danna de Jongh handles the Cap Classique and white wine portfolio. Together they produce a range that spans the accessible Cultivar Collection through to the premium Malan Vineyard Selection and the experimental Grapesmith range.

The wine portfolio is broad and accomplished. The Kaapse Vonkel Brut remains the flagship -- a Chardonnay and Pinot Noir blend with a touch of Pinot Meunier that still defines South African sparkling wine over fifty years after its creation. The Tiara, a Bordeaux blend first produced in 1990, is the estate's icon red. The Frans Malan Reserve is a unique Cape Blend of Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, named for the founder. The Redhill Pinotage, from a single hillside vineyard, is one of the most respected expressions of the variety. The Langbult Steen, an old-vine Chenin Blanc, anchors the white range.

Visitors experience Simonsig through the tasting room, open daily from 9am to 5pm. Four tasting options are available, all at R120: the rotating Tasting of the Day, Sparkle with Simonsig (Cap Classiques), the Cultivar Selection, and The Blue Bloods (Malan Family Range). The Sabrage Experience (from R230) teaches the art of opening a bottle of Kaapse Vonkel with a sword. The Sip and Paint experience (R380) lets visitors paint their own Kaapse Vonkel bottle while tasting six wines. Neapolitan-style pizzas from 36-hour fermented sourdough bases and artisanal charcuterie and cheese boards complement the wines.

Sustainability at Simonsig is comprehensive: IPW compliance, WIETA ethical trade accreditation, active membership in the Bottelary Hills Conservancy (1,500 hectares of indigenous Cape Floral Kingdom plants), solar panels providing 30 per cent of electricity since 2019, water catchment systems, electric forklifts, in-house bottling to reduce transport, and 50 staff houses with subsidised utilities. The estate's commitment is to leave a legacy, not a footprint.