Ask any connoisseur which countries produce the best wines, South Africa is guaranteed to be up there with the best. Whether Pinotage or Shiraz, we truly craft some of the most exquisite wines, and the Cap Classique offering is just as dazzling. We caught up with Le Lude winemaker, Kalissa de Kok, about experimenting with bubbles, emerging trends in the world of winemaking, and the importance of preserving the South African terroir.

Kalissa de Kok, Le Lude Winemaker

Located in the Franschhoek Valley, Le Lude Estate produces some of the best naturally bottle-fermented Cap Classiques – precisely the reason Kalissa de Kok was excited when she was asked to join the team. Though captivated by the world of bubbles and the chemistry behind it, she admits that it’s a far cry from the career she once envisioned when she initially enrolled for Business Sustainability at Erasmus University in Rotterdam.

Originally from Cape Town, de Kok grew up in Dubai, then moved to The Netherlands to start her tertiary studies, but ‘soon realised that it was not the field for her’. Kalissa recalls: “Upon a visit back home in Cape Town in 2019, I visited the esteemed Elsenburg Cellar. From the moment I stepped into the cellar and joined a class about Bordeaux, I knew it was the place I wanted to be.” Thankfully, she took a couple more classes there and eventually graduated with a Bachelor of Agriculture, Cellar Technology and Cellar Management. Kalissa adds: “During my final year, I was responsible for producing the Cap Classique, which ignited my deep interest in sparkling wine.” Since having joined Le Lude Estate, we chat with the young and talented winemaker about the estate’s pioneering Agrafé methods, and what makes South African wines stand out among the crowd.

Have you always known that you wanted to pursue winemaking?

I’ve always loved cooking, the outdoors, smells and tastes. My favourite subject in school was Chemistry, and what better field to combine all those interests than oenology? In 2018, I visited Spain with my father (a graduation gift). We toured through Freixenet – the acclaimed Prosecco house south of Barcelona. In those dark, musty caves, I was infatuated with the complexity behind a bubble in wine. Little did I know, two years later I would start my winemaking journey.

What’s been the best part of your career thus far?

The best part of my ever-so-short career so far, is my final year at Elsenburg. The incredible opportunities to meet industry legends, learn from the best, taste magnificent international wines and craft wine through interactive practicals – the list is never-ending!

Congrats on joining Le Lude! What are you looking forward to?

To be working with bubbles, of course! And the incredible opportunity to dive deeper into the science of crafting Cap Classique. Not many people realise the tremendous detail that goes into making such a complex wine – something that’s good for my personality type!

Le Lude is doing extremely well in the world of Cap Classique; how do you produce wines for the international market whilst preserving the character of the South African terroir?

Many wine brands in South Africa are doing so well because they do just that – preserve the South African terroir in the product. That is the main thing that we as an industry need to move towards achieving if we want to do well overseas. That being said, there’s also a massive gap internationally, when it comes to defining the South African identity. If I buy a South African Pinotage or a South African Cab or Shiraz, what can I expect?

People and organisations like the Old Vine Project and Chenin Blanc Association, are doing massive projects to fill that gap, and I think that’s awesome. The Cap Classique Association is also putting South African Cap Classique on the map.

Something that all Cap Classique makers should realise is that we can produce excellent quality sparkling wines that are also competitive in price. If you look at Champagne, and even some of the Prosecco, it’s a privilege to produce such a high-quality product at such an affordable price internationally. If you want to buy the most expensive Cap Classique, you’re getting something that’s up there with the big guys in Champagne.

It’s an exciting time for Cap Classique!

In your opinion, what makes our wines stand out?

South Africa is one of the most privileged industries, in that we can do anything and everything. We’re not like a lot of old-world countries or areas stuck with only producing a certain quantity, cultivar, variety or style of wine. It’s not that we’re ‘not strict’ with our rules, it just means that we have a little bit more wiggle room and tools to play with.

The international market is interested in the fact that we can be so diverse; what makes us stand out is the fact that we have so much going on – you can expect great quality all around.

Eco-consciousness is a greater focus in the wine industry. How do you approach sustainability in your winemaking?

This is a very complicated question, but obviously, we’ve moved towards using fewer resources or not wasting them. We try to bring that into the cellar, whether reusing plastic drums in which we get our sugar when we do fermentations, or trying to use water sparingly. Things like IPW (integrated production of wine) requires us to track our water usage.

People are also important, sustainability also includes your people – the guys working in the seller, and restaurant staff – we need to make sure that we’re giving them the skills, and the rest to come back. There are so many facets involved.

Do you find any lesser-known varietals particularly fascinating?

Assyrtiko is one of my interests; it’s such a hardy variety when it comes to the global climate situation and drought resistance. If we look at the future of South Africa and its climate, [Assyrtiko] could be successful, and it also produces incredible wines with high acidity – if you’re a Cap Classique maker, you usually go for varieties that have high acid.

It’s difficult to ask if I have a favourite red… maybe something like Nebbiolo or Barolo from Piedmont, Italy. I feel like we could experiment more with it in South Africa because it produces such age-worthy wines, and we haven’t even touched the surface with those.

What current winemaking trends are you excited about?

In terms of Cap Classique, there’s a lot of work being done. Le Lude is experimenting with the Agrafé method, in which we use those staples to ferment the wine under cork for the second fermentation. Although it’s a very traditional method, it’s also something that we haven’t really dived into and asked, ‘What is it doing on a biochemical spectrum in the wine, and on bubble formation and bubble stability?’

Playing with magnums and different formats is quite cool. People usually think you only buy a magnum bottle of Cap Classique if you’re going to have a party or big gathering, but it really doesn’t have to be. If you want to open a bottle and drink it over the course of two/three days, that should also be ‘allowed’ – a magnum is more than just the size of a bottle, it has such a great influence on the wine too.

For wine in general, low-intervention winemaking, or not using things that might alter the taste too much, that’s quite exciting. We could have a separate chat session about that!

How do you see the industry changing in the next decade?

First of all, I think we’ll definitely have a lot more female winemakers. That’s something that will change and is already changing. It’s also exciting that the industry as a whole is doing great in empowering the people of the wine industry.

Internationally, we’re gonna have to start looking at our climate and how that influences our vineyards, and what we cultivate and produce. Inevitably, we’ll change the style of wines that we’re making and also the quantity of wine we’re making.

For South Africa, statistics have shown that our industry has a lot of potential to grow, and I think that we are growing, especially after Covid, we’re getting back on our feet; it’s definitely looking more optimistic. But, we’re going to have to put our heads together, talk to our viticulturists, climate specialists, and say, ‘Hey guys and girls, we need to be aware of this climate situation’ – and the fact that we have to switch, look to more drop-resistant varieties, or produce different style wines and acclimate to our ever-changing environment.

What advice would you give aspiring winemakers?

Great question, I feel that as a female or person wanting to enter the wine industry, you cannot be afraid, overwhelmed or feel like you can’t do something. You have to walk into a situation and first feel ‘I can do it’ before you adjust. Maybe you’ll need to compromise here and there to get the tools and resources you need to succeed. But we can never, say ‘No, I’m a female and I can’t or I shouldn’t do the heavy lifting’, or tolerate an environment where females don’t carry heavyweights, crates or whatever. It’s quite a controversial topic; obviously, there are people on all sides of the spectrum, and it’s good to have that…

What I’ve just experienced in the industry so far, is that you have to stand up, take charge or take initiative. Also, never be afraid to ask or to say, ‘I don’t know how to do something, can you please help me?’ That should be encouraged in the workplace.

Looking back, what advice would you have given yourself?

Take advantage of the opportunities, even if you do something as simple as go for a tasting. Sometimes, we as winemakers, walk out the door and tend to close off. But it goes beyond that, while we’re speaking to people, or cooking. Turn your brain on, be in tune and absorb [everything], because it really does add to your wine knowledge and your tasting ability, and expands your world of wine.

I would also say: ‘You’ll always have everything under control, that’s part of your skill as a winemaker’. But if you don’t, there’s a whole bunch of people that you can call on the phone and just ask for help. Don’t think it’s the end and freak out; make a plan and it’ll be fine.

Before we go, what’s your favourite wine at the moment?

Boekenhoutskloof Syrah

Weirdest pairing you’ve tried?

Marshmallows and Sparkling Wine – but a good kind of weird!

Best food and wine pairings?

Sushi and bubbles, oysters and bubbles, creamy pasta and a Puligny-Montrachet!

For Le Lude tastings or Orangerie Restaurant reservations, contact 021 876 2961 or send an email. Location: Bowling Green Avenue, Lambrechts Rd, Franschhoek.

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