Kanonkop is a fourth generation family-owned estate, now in the hands of brothers Paul and Johann Krige. The name Kanonkop is derived from a hillock (kop) on the Simonsberg Mountain above the estate from where, during the 17th and 18th centuries, a cannon (kanon) was fired to announce the arrival of sailing ships entering Table Bay. The roar of the cannon would be a signal to local farmers to load up their wagons with fresh fruit and vegetables and make the 50km journey to the harbour to barter their produce.
The first wines bearing the Kanonkop label were produced in 1973. By the mid-1980s, Kanonkop was experiencing an ever-growing demand for its estate wines. It was Jannie who came up with the idea of making a second label under the name Kadette. The thinking behind the new name was logical: with the military association of ‘kanon’ the Kadette was deemed a deserved junior to the more senior main brand. The grapes used in the Kadette range of wines no longer come from the Kanonkop vineyards; the demand is too great and the volume required simply too large. However, every bunch of grapes brought in for the making of Kadette is subjected to the same meticulous processes in the winery as the Estate range.
Grapes for the Rosé are sourced from top sites in the Stellenbosch and Paarl regions from vineyards specifically farmed for rosé.