The Men Who’ve Tasted Over 1 Million Wines (Episode 9 ft. Stephan De Beer & Jerry Stephan)

Welcome back to 21 Minutes With… (this time with bubbles, South African sunshine, and a saber or two).This week, Brittany and Christian sat down with Stephan de Beer, head winemaker of Krone Vintage-only Cap Classique, whose craft has been poured into more than 2 million bottles a year. Alongside CEO of Ascent Wines Jerry Stephan, we uncorked a conversation about tradition, risk, and why sometimes the “worst” harvests create the most magical wines.We dug into what makes Cap Classique (South Africa’s answer to Champagne) so unique, why the right glass matters more than the right label, and what it’s like to make a career in storytelling through fermentation. Oh, and yes, Brittany learned how to saber a bottle on air (you’ll want to stay to see the results).🍇 Inside this episode:- Stephan’s hot take that flutes are the worst glasses for sparkling wine- The near-disaster 2021 vintage that became an award-winning triumph- Why life’s too short not to drink the best wine first- The power of origin stories in every sip, from ginger beer in his mom’s kitchen to finalist for South Africa’s Winemaker of the Year- What “behind the bubbles” notes really mean (and why tar might not belong on your tasting sheet)This episode is for wine lovers, storytellers, and anyone who believes the best bottles aren’t just about what’s in the glass, but about the people, place, and persistence behind them. And trust us, you’ll never look at sparkling wine the same way again.