Opstal Sixpence Cabernet Sauvignon 2024

The Producer

Opstal Estate has been in the same family since 1847, when JC Rossouw first cultivated this land in the Slanghoek Valley. Seven generations later, winemaker Attie Louw is the one in the cellar — a direct descendant of that founding family, working alongside his father Stanley and brother Zak. The Sixpence range is named in honour of Daniel ‘Sixpence’ Smiles — the legendary shepherd who worked Opstal’s land through the 1950s and ’60s. The vineyards planted on his old pastures now produce these everyday wines, and his son Andries still works on the farm today.

Vintage & Terroir

The 2024 Sixpence Cabernet Sauvignon is grown on the former pasture land of Daniel ‘Sixpence’ Smiles — sandier ground on Opstal’s western slopes where the soil gives a more fruit-driven, earlier-ripening expression of Cabernet Sauvignon. The farm sits at the head of the Slanghoek Valley in the Breedekloof Wine District, between the Slanghoek and Badsberg mountain ranges. Annual rainfall of 1,350mm, mountain breezes and a slow Mediterranean growing season give the fruit a freshness and balance that the warmer inland valleys can’t easily replicate.

In the Cellar

The wine is fermented in stainless steel at controlled temperatures to preserve fruit purity and freshness. After completion of fermentation and malolactic, the wine is blended and prepared for early bottling. The winemaking philosophy for the Sixpence range is direct: make wine that is genuinely enjoyable to drink, without unnecessary complexity or heavy oak intervention. No oak. No over-extraction. Just honest fruit from honest ground.

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Deep ruby with a vibrant, youthful colour.
Nose: Red berries, plum and a subtle whisper of smoke on the first pour, with hints of dark fruit and a faint cocoa note developing in the glass.
Palate: Soft, approachable and easy-drinking with flavours of red berries, plum and a gentle undercurrent of coffee and dark chocolate. The tannins are soft and well-rounded — no hard edges, no demanding structure.
Finish: Smooth and moderately long with a pleasing fruity warmth and a clean, easy close.

Food Pairing

The ultimate braai red — throw it in alongside your boerie, lamb chops or ribs. Also excellent with a pizza, a bolognaise pasta or a hearty potjie on a cold Slanghoek evening. Serve slightly cool at around 16 °C to keep the fruit lively and the wine at its most enjoyable.

Technical Details

Our Guarantee

Every bottle in the Sixpence range is backed by our 100% Happiness Assured! Guarantee. If you’re not completely satisfied, we’ll make it right — no questions, no fuss. Just good wine from good people.