Domaine des Dieux

Domaine des Dieux was established in 2002 as a partnership between Sharon Parnell and Peter Clarke. The property was former sheep pasture on the slopes of Babylonstoren mountain in what would become recognised as the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, with a cool maritime climate moderated by Walker Bay and Atlantic breezes. The 28 hectares of vineyards were planted with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and small blocks of Syrah and Mourvedre, with an ambition that combined still wines with Méthode Cap Classique sparkling production. Sharon Parnell became the first winemaker in the Hemel-en-Aarde to produce Cap Classique, and the MCC programme has since become the estate's signature. The 'Dieux' in the name (French for 'gods') reflects the estate's lofty Hemel-en-Aarde Valley setting (Hemel-en-Aarde itself translates to 'Heaven and Earth' in Afrikaans).

• Founded 2002 by Sharon Parnell and Peter Clarke
• 28 hectares of vineyards on the slopes of Babylonstoren in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
• Sharon Parnell was the first winemaker in the Hemel-en-Aarde to produce Méthode Cap Classique
• Former sheep pasture; vineyards planted with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and small blocks of Syrah and Mourvedre

Domaine des Dieux is run today as a Parnell family operation. Sharon's daughter Megan Mullis serves as general manager, with her husband Shane Mullis overseeing the viticulture. The transition to the second generation has preserved the estate's small-scale, family-run identity while continuing the Cap Classique programme that has earned the estate its national reputation. The estate's two flagship MCCs both carry family names: Claudia, the Brut MCC, is named after Megan's older sister, and Rose of Sharon, the Brut Rosé MCC, is named after founder Sharon Parnell. The Parnell family's commitment to the Hemel-en-Aarde has made Domaine des Dieux one of the more personal projects in the valley.

• Run today by Sharon's daughter Megan Mullis (general manager)
• Megan's husband Shane Mullis oversees the viticulture
• Claudia Brut MCC named after Megan's older sister
• Rose of Sharon Brut Rosé MCC named after founder Sharon Parnell

Domaine des Dieux's vineyards sit on the slopes of Babylonstoren mountain in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, where granite-influenced clay-schist soils and a cool maritime mesoclimate combine to favour the Burgundian varieties used in Cap Classique production. The Upper Hemel-en-Aarde's higher elevation and longer growing season suit base wine production for sparkling, where bright acidity and low alcohol are essential. The 28 hectares of vineyards include the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that feed both the Cap Classique and the still wine programmes, plus smaller blocks of Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah and Mourvedre. The cool-climate setting is especially important for the MCC base wines, which require the high natural acidity that the elevated Upper Hemel-en-Aarde provides.

• Vineyards on the slopes of Babylonstoren mountain in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
• Granite-influenced clay-schist soils and cool maritime mesoclimate
• 28 hectares planted across Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah and Mourvedre
• Higher elevation and longer growing season suit Méthode Cap Classique base wine production

Méthode Cap Classique (MCC) is South Africa's traditional-method sparkling wine category, produced using the same secondary fermentation in bottle as Champagne. Domaine des Dieux is one of the country's leading MCC specialists, with two flagship bottlings that have collectively won the Amorim Cap Classique Challenge multiple times. Claudia is the Brut MCC, a blend of 81 percent Chardonnay and 19 percent Pinot Noir, named for Megan Mullis's older sister. Claudia has received the highest score of all 127 wines entered into a single Amorim Cap Classique Challenge, taking both the overall wine and best producer accolades. Rose of Sharon is the Brut Rosé MCC, a blend of 60 percent Pinot Noir and 40 percent Chardonnay named for founder Sharon Parnell. Both wines are made by traditional method with extended lees ageing and have received gold medals at the Amorim Cap Classique Challenge. Domaine des Dieux has been named South Africa's Best Cap Classique Producer at the Amorim Challenge three times.

• Claudia Brut MCC: 81% Chardonnay, 19% Pinot Noir; named for Megan Mullis's older sister
• Rose of Sharon Brut Rosé MCC: 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay; named for founder Sharon Parnell
• Méthode Cap Classique = South African traditional-method sparkling wine (Champagne-method)
• Named South Africa's Best Cap Classique Producer at the Amorim Cap Classique Challenge three times

Domaine des Dieux's still wine programme launched in 2007 with Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and a Syrah-Mourvedre blend, alongside the established Cap Classique programme. The Pinot Noir is described as a concentrated and powerful cool-maritime expression grown on the clay-schist soils of Babylonstoren; the Chardonnay is barrel-fermented in the Hemel-en-Aarde tradition, with concentration and length supported by the cool-climate site. The Syrah-Mourvedre blend (approximately 77 percent Syrah and 23 percent Mourvedre) uses traditional whole-bunch fermentation for a portion of the fruit and pumping over to extract flavour from the skins. The Sauvignon Blanc rounds out the cellar with bright Upper Hemel-en-Aarde acidity and herbal lift. Across the still wine range, the estate emphasises restrained, terroir-driven winemaking that complements the MCC flagships rather than competes with them.

• Still wine programme launched in 2007: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah-Mourvedre blend
• Pinot Noir: concentrated cool-maritime expression grown on clay-schist soils of Babylonstoren
• Chardonnay: barrel-fermented in the Hemel-en-Aarde tradition with concentration and length
• Syrah-Mourvedre blend: approximately 77% Syrah, 23% Mourvedre with whole-bunch fermentation