The name Kanonkop was derived from a kopje (hillock), from which a cannon was fired in the 17th Century to alert farmers in outlying areas that sailing ships plying the waters between Europe and the Far East had entered Table Bay for a stopover at Cape Town.
Today, Kanonkop is a fourth generation family estate, which was originally purchased by JW Sauer, a cabinet member in the parliament of the Union of South Africa. The estate has since then been handed down from father to son for over 40 years and is now in the talented, capable hands of its current owners Paul & Johann Krige.
Situated on the lower slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain in the Stellenbosch Region of the Cape. It is between Stellenbosch and Paarl on the R44 and falls in a ward called Simonsberg, more commonly known as the “red wine bowl” of South Africa. It has earned a reputation both at home and abroad as the area producing the best wines in the country. Besides the solid foundation on which the estate’s winemaking principles are based, it is also blessed with ideal soils, cool sea breezes and long summer days, creating the perfect climate for growing grapes.
Kanonkop have been described by those in the know as the South African equivalent of a Premier Cru or First Growth and their collection of international awards is testament to their success.
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