Groote Post The Old Man’s Sparkle Brut NV

How Mer-lot can you go?

Groote Post The Old Man’s Sparkle Brut NV is a rosé although there is little to indicate this from the packaging. Once in the glass, it shows intense red fruit, an energetic mousse and somewhat tart acidity. Pleasant enough but lacking nuance.  It’s a proper bottle-fermented sparkling wine but breaks with convention in that it over 50% of the blend is Merlot, a variety not traditionally associated with Cap Classique nor indeed Champagne. At R79 a bottle, it’s not exactly cheap so think twice if you’re considering it for the next milestone birthday.