Sophie and Julien Schaal’s wines move between two very different landscapes. In Alsace, where they live with their family, their work is centred around the region’s historic vineyards and cool climate. In South Africa, they return each year to make wine from the Swartland, Elgin and Walker Bay, regions that first drew them to the Cape and have kept them coming back.
Julien’s connection with South Africa began with the 2003 harvest in Hermanus. He returned the following year, and in 2005 used his savings to make his first few barrels of Chardonnay and Syrah. Sophie, a trained oenologist from Burgundy, first came to South Africa in 2013. The trip introduced her to a completely different wine landscape, as well as to Julien. They now live and make wine in Alsace, but South Africa has become too important a part of their lives and work for them not to remain connected to it.
Their South African wines reflect the varieties and regions each is most drawn to. Julien works with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the cooler vineyards of Elgin, Walker Bay and the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. Sophie looks to the Swartland, where old, dry-farmed bush vines produce Chenin Blanc and Syrah with generosity, freshness and a distinctly South African character.
The release includes Sophie’s Crémant d’Alsace Extra Brut and the latest South African vintages of her Old Vine Chenin Blanc and Swartland Syrah, alongside Julien’s new Mountain Vineyards Chardonnay and two Pinot Noirs. We are also returning to the 2024 Evidence Chardonnay, his more focused, single-vineyard expression of Elgin.
Sophie’s sparkling wine is made from Pinot Blanc under the Crémant d’Alsace appellation.
It is dry and bright, with fine bubbles, green apple, pear and citrus, followed by subtle brioche and almond notes from its time on the lees. Fresh enough to start an evening, but with enough texture to carry through to the table.
This wine was previously known as Born of Fire. The label has changed, but the vineyard and approach remain the same.
The Chenin comes from dry-farmed Swartland bush vines planted in 1986. The grapes were picked earlier in 2025, bringing the alcohol down from 13.5% in the previous vintage to 12.5% and giving the wine a noticeably fresher shape.
It was fermented and matured in older barrels and a seven-year-old foudre. The wood is there for texture rather than flavour. The 2025 is bright and generous, with ripe yellow fruit, gentle floral notes and the salty finish Sophie particularly loves in Swartland Chenin.
Sophie’s Syrah comes from organically farmed vineyards in the Swartland.
The wine is naturally fermented following around three weeks on the skins, then matured for 12 months in 300-litre barrels. It has dark fruit, violets, spice and dried herbs, with fine tannins and plenty of freshness beneath the fruit.
It is unmistakably Swartland Syrah, but viewed through Sophie’s preference for balance and clarity rather than weight.
Julien’s Mountain Vineyards Chardonnay brings together fruit from two vineyards in Elgin, one of South Africa’s coolest wine-growing regions.
The grapes are hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed before fermentation and maturation in a combination of French oak and stainless steel. Julien avoids malolactic fermentation to preserve the wine’s natural freshness.
The result is a bright, precise Chardonnay with green apple, peach and citrus, a gently creamy texture and restrained oak.
The Mountain Vineyards Pinot Noir comes from Walker Bay, where the maritime climate allows Pinot Noir to ripen slowly while retaining freshness.
Following a two-week maceration, the wine was gently pressed and matured in French oak. It is fragrant and immediately appealing, with red cherry, raspberry, cranberry and floral notes. Fine tannins and bright acidity keep it light on its feet.
Evidence is Julien’s more focused expression of Elgin Chardonnay, made from a single vineyard at approximately 285 metres above sea level.
The vineyard lies at the foot of the Kogelberg mountains on decomposed Bokkeveld shale with a high clay content. The grapes are hand-picked, whole-bunch pressed and fermented and matured in French oak.
It is broader and more layered than Mountain Vineyards, with ripe pear, citrus, stone fruit and subtle toasted notes. The richness is held together by Elgin’s naturally bright acidity.
The 2024 Evidence Chardonnay is carried over from the previous release, but it is worth returning to. Made from a single Elgin vineyard at approximately 285 metres above sea level, it shows the more concentrated and structured side of Julien’s Chardonnay range.
The vineyard lies at the foot of the Kogelberg mountains on decomposed Bokkeveld shale with a high clay content. The grapes were hand-picked, whole-bunch pressed, then fermented and matured in French oak.
Broader and more layered than Mountain Vineyards, it has ripe pear, citrus and stone fruit, with subtle toasted notes and bright Elgin acidity running through the wine. With additional time in bottle, the fruit and oak are beginning to come together beautifully.
R1,650.00Original price was: R1,650.00.R1,567.50Current price is: R1,567.50.Add to basket
Sophie & Julien Schaal South African Mixed Case
One bottle each of Sophie and Julien Schaal’s six South African wines, covering the Swartland, Elgin, Walker Bay and Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge.
Sophie’s range includes old-vine Swartland Chenin Blanc and Syrah, while Julien focuses on cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The case moves from bright, textured whites to fragrant, finely structured reds, offering a complete look at their work in South Africa.
The Schaals are back: new South African vintages and Crémant d’Alsace
Sophie and Julien Schaal’s wines move between two very different landscapes. In Alsace, where they live with their family, their work is centred around the region’s historic vineyards and cool climate. In South Africa, they return each year to make wine from the Swartland, Elgin and Walker Bay, regions that first drew them to the Cape and have kept them coming back.
Julien’s connection with South Africa began with the 2003 harvest in Hermanus. He returned the following year, and in 2005 used his savings to make his first few barrels of Chardonnay and Syrah. Sophie, a trained oenologist from Burgundy, first came to South Africa in 2013. The trip introduced her to a completely different wine landscape, as well as to Julien. They now live and make wine in Alsace, but South Africa has become too important a part of their lives and work for them not to remain connected to it.
Their South African wines reflect the varieties and regions each is most drawn to. Julien works with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the cooler vineyards of Elgin, Walker Bay and the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. Sophie looks to the Swartland, where old, dry-farmed bush vines produce Chenin Blanc and Syrah with generosity, freshness and a distinctly South African character.
The release includes Sophie’s Crémant d’Alsace Extra Brut and the latest South African vintages of her Old Vine Chenin Blanc and Swartland Syrah, alongside Julien’s new Mountain Vineyards Chardonnay and two Pinot Noirs. We are also returning to the 2024 Evidence Chardonnay, his more focused, single-vineyard expression of Elgin.
THE WINES:
R305.00Add to basket
Sophie Schaal Crémant d’Alsace Extra Brut NV
Sophie’s sparkling wine is made from Pinot Blanc under the Crémant d’Alsace appellation.
It is dry and bright, with fine bubbles, green apple, pear and citrus, followed by subtle brioche and almond notes from its time on the lees. Fresh enough to start an evening, but with enough texture to carry through to the table.
R225.00Add to basket
Sophie Schaal ‘Old Vine’ Chenin Blanc 2025
This wine was previously known as Born of Fire. The label has changed, but the vineyard and approach remain the same.
The Chenin comes from dry-farmed Swartland bush vines planted in 1986. The grapes were picked earlier in 2025, bringing the alcohol down from 13.5% in the previous vintage to 12.5% and giving the wine a noticeably fresher shape.
It was fermented and matured in older barrels and a seven-year-old foudre. The wood is there for texture rather than flavour. The 2025 is bright and generous, with ripe yellow fruit, gentle floral notes and the salty finish Sophie particularly loves in Swartland Chenin.
R225.00Add to basket
Sophie Schaal Swartland Syrah 2025
Sophie’s Syrah comes from organically farmed vineyards in the Swartland.
The wine is naturally fermented following around three weeks on the skins, then matured for 12 months in 300-litre barrels. It has dark fruit, violets, spice and dried herbs, with fine tannins and plenty of freshness beneath the fruit.
It is unmistakably Swartland Syrah, but viewed through Sophie’s preference for balance and clarity rather than weight.
R230.00Add to basket
Julien Schaal ‘Mountain Vineyards’ Chardonnay 2025
Julien’s Mountain Vineyards Chardonnay brings together fruit from two vineyards in Elgin, one of South Africa’s coolest wine-growing regions.
The grapes are hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed before fermentation and maturation in a combination of French oak and stainless steel. Julien avoids malolactic fermentation to preserve the wine’s natural freshness.
The result is a bright, precise Chardonnay with green apple, peach and citrus, a gently creamy texture and restrained oak.
R230.00Add to basket
Julien Schaal ‘Mountain Vineyards’ Pinot Noir 2025
The Mountain Vineyards Pinot Noir comes from Walker Bay, where the maritime climate allows Pinot Noir to ripen slowly while retaining freshness.
Following a two-week maceration, the wine was gently pressed and matured in French oak. It is fragrant and immediately appealing, with red cherry, raspberry, cranberry and floral notes. Fine tannins and bright acidity keep it light on its feet.
R370.00Add to basket
Julien Schaal ‘Evidence’ Chardonnay 2024
Evidence is Julien’s more focused expression of Elgin Chardonnay, made from a single vineyard at approximately 285 metres above sea level.
The vineyard lies at the foot of the Kogelberg mountains on decomposed Bokkeveld shale with a high clay content. The grapes are hand-picked, whole-bunch pressed and fermented and matured in French oak.
It is broader and more layered than Mountain Vineyards, with ripe pear, citrus, stone fruit and subtle toasted notes. The richness is held together by Elgin’s naturally bright acidity.
R370.00Add to basket
Julien Schaal ‘Evidence’ Chardonnay 2024
The 2024 Evidence Chardonnay is carried over from the previous release, but it is worth returning to. Made from a single Elgin vineyard at approximately 285 metres above sea level, it shows the more concentrated and structured side of Julien’s Chardonnay range.
The vineyard lies at the foot of the Kogelberg mountains on decomposed Bokkeveld shale with a high clay content. The grapes were hand-picked, whole-bunch pressed, then fermented and matured in French oak.
Broader and more layered than Mountain Vineyards, it has ripe pear, citrus and stone fruit, with subtle toasted notes and bright Elgin acidity running through the wine. With additional time in bottle, the fruit and oak are beginning to come together beautifully.
R1,650.00Original price was: R1,650.00.R1,567.50Current price is: R1,567.50.Add to basketSophie & Julien Schaal South African Mixed Case
One bottle each of Sophie and Julien Schaal’s six South African wines, covering the Swartland, Elgin, Walker Bay and Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge.
Sophie’s range includes old-vine Swartland Chenin Blanc and Syrah, while Julien focuses on cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The case moves from bright, textured whites to fragrant, finely structured reds, offering a complete look at their work in South Africa.
1 × Sophie Schaal ‘Old Vine’ Chenin Blanc 2025
1 × Julien Schaal ‘Mountain Vineyards’ Chardonnay 2025
1 × Julien Schaal ‘Evidence’ Chardonnay 2024
1 × Julien Schaal ‘Mountain Vineyards’ Pinot Noir 2025
1 × Julien Schaal ‘Influence’ Pinot Noir 2024
1 × Sophie Schaal Swartland Syrah 2025
READ MORE ABOUT SOPHIE SCHAAL WINES
READ MORE ABOUT JULIEN SCHAAL WINES