Kanonkop Wine Estate

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Kanonkop Wine Estate Kanonkop Estate has been described as being the South African equivalent of a First Growth Estate For others, Kanonkop is not just a wine estate.
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To many, Kanonkop is considered to be the South African equivalent of a Premier Cru or First Growth. It is a place of natural beauty where hospitality, family values, tradition, history and interesting characters are as integral to our ability to create magnificent wines as the ancient decomposed granite soils, the cool air from the Atlantic Ocean and the old dryland vineyards. Drink responsibly.

Join us on Saturday 10 October in celebrating International Pinotage Day!🍷We will be pouring older vintages of Pinotage ...
08/10/2026

Join us on Saturday 10 October in celebrating International Pinotage Day!🍷

We will be pouring older vintages of Pinotage at our Tasting Room, showcasing the potential of Pinotage and savouring its rich heritage in our South African soils.

Pinotage Vertical Tasting: R100 per person
Saturday Opening Hours: 9am to 3pm
No bookings: First come, first served!

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2026 | The Next ChapterFor more than five decades, Kanonkop's w**emaking philosophy has been shaped by the land, refined...
30/09/2026

2026 | The Next Chapter

For more than five decades, Kanonkop's w**emaking philosophy has been shaped by the land, refined in the cellar and carried forward by generations of people who have dedicated themselves to understanding both.

This September, we have looked back at some of the moments that have shaped the heritage of our w**es. Tomorrow, the story moves forward. On 1 October, Dirk Van Zyl will join Kanonkop as its fifth Head W**emaker.

Dirk brings a new perspective to our cellar, and new experience that will add to the knowledge we have accumulated over the decades. He now inherits the responsibility of tasting, questioning and refining each vintage without reinventing the wheel.

From Jan Boland, to Beyers, to Abrie, to François... Dirk!

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2015 | A Legacy Carried ForwardA bottle may carry one vintage, but its story can span generations.By the time Abrie Bees...
21/09/2026

2015 | A Legacy Carried Forward

A bottle may carry one vintage, but its story can span generations.

By the time Abrie Beeslaar, Kanonkop’s third w**emaker, was receiving international recognition for Kanonkop’s w**es, he was working within a philosophy that had been shaped over decades.

The vineyards established before him. A deeper understanding of Kanonkop’s site and soils. A commitment to Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage. The use of French oak barrels, and the evolution of our punch-down extractions.

When the Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2015 received a perfect 100-point score from Tim Atkin MW , it was recognition of an exceptional w**e and the team responsible for making it, but more than that, it was the culmination of decades of knowledge, decisions and experience.

A reminder that great w**es are rarely the product of a single moment. They are built slowly, over time.

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1989 | Producing World Class PinotagePinotage has been part of Kanonkop’s story from the beginning.By the late 1980s, Be...
15/09/2026

1989 | Producing World Class Pinotage

Pinotage has been part of Kanonkop’s story from the beginning.

By the late 1980s, Beyers Truter had developed a deep conviction that Pinotage could produce w**es of genuine stature — w**es with elegance, structure and the ability to mature alongside the great red w**es of the world.

At Kanonkop, that belief translated into action. The fruit was given careful attention in the cellar. Extraction was refined. New 225-litre French oak barrels were introduced to help give the w**es greater structure, refinement and depth.

In 1991, Beyers won the Robert Mondavi Trophy for Best W**emaker in the World at the International W**e & Spirit Competition. It was the Kanonkop Pinotage 1989 that convinced the judges to award him this honour.

"The best thing about it – for me – was the accolade going to Pinotage from Kanonkop in South Africa. It was a great moment for Pinotage and the farm, and the country's w**e reputation in general." – Beyers Truter

Nature gives us the raw material. The w**emaker’s role is to recognise its potential, and capture it.

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1981 | A Short, Intense ExtractionWhen Beyers Truter took over the reins of the Kanonkop cellar in 1981, he inherited an...
10/09/2026

1981 | A Short, Intense Extraction

When Beyers Truter took over the reins of the Kanonkop cellar in 1981, he inherited an accepted extraction approach in our open concrete fermenters using fewer punch-downs at longer intervals.

But his curiosity led to his own testing of this approach. He began experimenting with the frequency and duration of the punch-downs, looking for the optimum extraction in colour, tannin and concentration.

He found that shorter, frequent punch-downs produced better results.

Today, our estate w**es continue to undergo short, intense extraction in open concrete fermenters, with manual punch-downs every two hours. This tradition has maintained the quality of our w**es over the years.

When it comes to w**emaking, we believe: Don’t reinvent the wheel. If it works, keep it.

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1973 | The Barrel Is An Important VehicleMaking exceptional w**e starts in the vineyard, influenced by climate, aspect a...
08/09/2026

1973 | The Barrel Is An Important Vehicle

Making exceptional w**e starts in the vineyard, influenced by climate, aspect and soil. Our role in the cellar is to give that potential the right conditions to develop and mature.

Following the exceptional 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon, Jan Boland Coetzee had a firm conviction that if Kanonkop would bottle its first vintage under its own label, maturing these w**es in new French oak barrels would be important from the start.

“Wood is just a vehicle, but an important one for allowing w**e to reach its full potential. For Kanonkop, its use was non-negotiable from the start.” – Jan Boland Coetzee

Going against the norm at the time, Jan managed to convince Jannie Krige of buying new French oak barrels for the special vintage of 1973.

The first bottled and labelled Kanonkop w**es were therefore matured using a combination of new French oak barrels and larger foudres, establishing an approach that would become part of Kanonkop’s w**emaking tradition.

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1968 | It Starts In The VineyardThe story of our w**emaking philosophy began with a decision made in the vineyard.When J...
03/09/2026

1968 | It Starts In The Vineyard

The story of our w**emaking philosophy began with a decision made in the vineyard.

When Jan Boland Coetzee joined the cellar in 1968, one of the first decisions of his tenure as w**emaker was to remove the Shiraz vineyards and plant more Cabernet Sauvignon. Still young, Jan had already spent enough time among the vines and soils to recognise that certain varieties belong in certain soils.

The decision proved itself over with the 1973 vintage, when the first Cabernet Sauvignon to carry the Kanonkop name was opened in 2023 for our 50th anniversary. Despite its age, the w**e showed remarkable vitality and poise.

“The most amazing thing, and this will have many of today’s w**e experts coughing in their Bordeaux, is that that first 1973 vintage Cabernet Sauvignon was made from vines only four years old” – Jan Boland Coetzee

It was a powerful reminder that the foundations of a great w**e are laid long before the grapes reach the cellar – In the vineyard, and in the choice of vine.

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At Kanonkop, Cabernet Sauvignon is a cornerstone of the w**es we produce. It was one of the first w**es we bottled under...
25/08/2026

At Kanonkop, Cabernet Sauvignon is a cornerstone of the w**es we produce. It was one of the first w**es we bottled under the Kanonkop w**e label in 1973, and has maintained its prominence in the w**es we produce today.

Whether delivering an ageworthy Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon or bringing structure and tannin to the Paul Sauer blend, it always embodies that distinct Simonsberg-Stellenbosch character. A varietal suited to our soils, and shaped by our climate.

With most of the pruning in the vineyards done, we look forward to the story of the next vintage our Cabernet Sauvignons will tell.

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Happy Woman’s Day!We celebrate the woman who have shaped Kanonkop and continue to contribute to our legacy. 🍷 **eestate...
09/08/2026

Happy Woman’s Day!

We celebrate the woman who have shaped Kanonkop and continue to contribute to our legacy. 🍷

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As the early winter rains set in, our vineyards enter a period of rest.To protect the soil and prevent erosion, cover cr...
23/04/2026

As the early winter rains set in, our vineyards enter a period of rest.

To protect the soil and prevent erosion, cover crops are planted between the vine rows, a practice aimed at maintaining vineyard health through the colder months.

Kadette Viticulturist, Annelie Viljoen, explains:
“Cover crops help retain soil moisture and limit erosion, particularly on steep slopes. Together with post-harvest fertilisation, they prepare the vineyard for the next growing season in spring.”

This year, triticale (Korog) was planted across most vineyard blocks, with ryegrass used in wetter areas such as the Paul Sauer block.

These vineyard preparations are a key part of maintaining our old vines and ensuring vitality for years to come.

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Address

R44
Stellenbosch
7600

Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00
Thursday 09:00 - 17:00
Friday 09:00 - 17:00
Saturday 09:00 - 15:00

Telephone

+27 21 884 4656

Website

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