WINE, FOOD, AND EVERYTHING THAT'S GOOD!

Sushi and Cap Classique. In Robertson. Excuse me?

Probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when planning a weekend in Robertson, but after a lazy Saturday afternoon at Paul René, it really should be!

Set on Wonderfontein Farm, just outside Robertson, Paul René’s Sushi Saturdays are exactly the kind of thing that gets me licking my lips! Whether it’s just two of you or a table full of family and friends, find a spot in the courtyard or out on the lawns, order sushi (way too much of course), pop a bottle of seriously amazing Cap Classique and suddenly realise you’ve been there for three hours…maybe four.

The sushi menu has plenty to choose from. There are California rolls, maki, fashion sandwiches, nigiri, sashimi, salmon roses and rainbow rolls, as well as a poke bowl and platters if you’re sharing. You’ll also find oysters, spring rolls, dumplings and tempura prawns. The sushi might get you excited, but add the setting, the people and a bottle or two of Paul René and you’ve got an afternoon that’s pretty difficult to beat. And their pricing is super attractive too, especially if you’re used to breaking the bank in Stellenbosch or Cape Town!

View the sushi menu here.

Obviously, the big draw for me is the wine. Oh, the wine!

I have a real soft spot for Paul René. I was lucky enough to work closely with the wines while working for their official distributor, so I’ve had plenty of firsthand experience with the range. They were wines I really enjoyed representing and, more importantly, wines I genuinely enjoyed drinking.

Over the years, it’s been impressive to see how well the brand has done. Perhaps it has something to do with Henk and the way he carries himself. Super down to earth, completely unpretentious and pretty laid back, but at the same time someone who really cares about the effort that goes into producing the very best Cap Classique he can. I guess it doesn’t hurt that he’s a good looking guy too!

The range includes the Brut (Chardonnay/Pinot Noir), Brut Rosé (Pinot Noir/Chardonnay), Nectar (Pinot Noir/Chardonnay, with residual sugar of 37.8 g/l) and Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut.

Robertson is a great home for Chardonnay and Cap Classique, and these wines show exactly why. There is always beautiful freshness and a very lively acidity, but also enough texture, richness, structure and length to make these seriously interesting wines. Out of the lot, my personal favorite is the Brut. The grapes are handpicked in Robertson, whole bunch pressed and spends over 40 months on its lees before being manually riddled and disgorged. It’s a hands on process that many producers have moved away from, and just another indication of the amount of energy and effort Henk is putting into every bottle.

For a bit of context, the minimum lees ageing requirement for Cap Classique was traditionally 9 months. However, for wines made from the 2023 harvest onwards, that increased to 12 months. There is now also an Extended Lees Aging category, which requires a minimum of 36 months. With the Paul René Brut, Brut Rosé and Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut all spending over 36 months on the lees, you start to get a better idea of the level of Cap Classique we’re talking about here. Even their Nectar is sitting for 30 months! I mean, come on!

FYI, if you’re not too familiar with lees ageing and the production of traditionally produced sparkling wines, lees ageing is essentially the time the wine spends resting on the dead yeast cells left after fermentation, helping to build texture, complexity and those delicious brioche and biscuity characters often associated with quality Cap Classique and Champagne.

All that extra time and effort certainly isn’t going unnoticed either! Paul René was recently named the IWSC 2026 South African Wine Producer Trophy winner, with both the Blanc de Blanc Extra Brut 2022 and Brut Rosé 2022 receiving Gold medals. Bravo, team PR!

Awards aside, my last visit to the farm was a special one.

The day after getting engaged to my fiancée in Robertson, we decided to stop at Paul René for a tasting. Completely unaware that they were busy with a soft launch of their Sushi Saturdays, we arrived to find sushi on the go too! Pretty good timing, I’d say.

When Henk heard that we had just got engaged, he was really so happy for us and gifted us a complimentary bottle to celebrate. It was such a nice gesture and one we definitely won’t forget.

As mentioned, I already had a soft spot for Paul René after years of working with the wines. After that afternoon, even more so. It’s funny how certain wines and places become attached to particular moments in your life, and I have a feeling Paul René will always be part of that one for us. I believe this is what makes wine so powerful.

That said, if you’re heading to Robertson, or looking for an excuse to make the drive, put Paul René on the list. Henk and the family will welcome you with open arms, and world class Cap Classique!

Sushi Saturdays run from 10am to 3pm at Paul René on Wonderfontein Farm outside Robertson.

Needless to say, our next visit won’t be by accident!

Buy their wines here.