2022 · Grand Classique

Glen Carlou is a South African estate in Simonsberg-Paarl, Western Cape, established in 1988 and owned since 2016 by a South African family consortium led by Wayne Pitout. Among the Cape’s early Chardonnay producers, it specializes in Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, including the long-established Grand Classique. Cellarmaster Johnnie Calitz leads a style focused on meticulous fruit selection, minimal intervention, natural fermentation and French-oak maturation. The estate applies soil mapping, precision farming and soil-moisture monitoring to reduce irrigation and energy use, alongside solar energy and Integrated Production of Wine practices. Its 31 vineyard blocks occupy the region’s gravelly, free-draining soils, while the estate also combines wine with fine dining and a contemporary South African art gallery.