Kanonkop Estate
A fourth-generation Stellenbosch family estate regarded as the benchmark for South African Pinotage, also renowned for its 'Paul Sauer' Bordeaux blend.
About Kanonkop
Kanonkop lies on the lower slopes of the Simonsberg in Stellenbosch, on land that became Paul Sauer's property in 1929, the year he was elected to Parliament, making him the first owner of what is now Kanonkop Estate. A cellar built in 1942 still forms the heart of the winery, and a Pinotage vineyard planted in 1953 helped establish the estate's signature variety, though the first wine under the Kanonkop label appeared only in 1973. Sauer owned the farm until his death in 1976, after which it passed to his daughter Mary; today it is run by her sons, brothers Johann and Paul Krige, keeping the estate firmly in family hands. Widely considered the 'First Growth' of South Africa, Kanonkop is celebrated above all for its powerful, age-worthy Pinotage and for the 'Paul Sauer', a Cabernet-led Bordeaux-style blend of great pedigree.
Flagship wines
- Paul Sauer
- Kanonkop Pinotage
- Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon
Editorial notes
Kanonkop's flagship reds (Paul Sauer and the Pinotage) reward extended cellaring. Pinotage is the estate's signature, though it falls outside this catalogue's grape list.