Last Updated on October 10, 2026

Franschoek meets Shoreditch: an evening of Mont Rochelle wines hosted by estate cellarmaster Michael Langenhoven

Richard Branson is probably best known as the founder of Virgin Records, Virgin Music and Virgin Atlantic. But back in the 1990s he also started acquiring/developing boutique luxury properties and launched Virgin Limited Edition in 2000, starting with his famous Necker Island luxury private resort. Today this portfolio includes two South African properties: Ulusaba game lodge on the edge of the Kruger National Park; and more recently Mont Rochelle luxury hotel and wine estate.

Mont Rochelle - Virgin Hotels - wine bottles - credit Jeanne Horak

The property sits in the heart of Franschhoek, a name that means “French corner” in Afrikaans, named for the French Huguenots who settled there in the late 1600s. Today the winery, under the guidance of winemaker Michael Langenhoven, produces two collections: the limited-quantity flagship MIKO range; and their expressive everyday Mont Rochelle range. Recently I had the great pleasure of attending a winemaker dinner at the Virgin Hotel Shoreditch hosted by Mont Rochelle cellarmaster Michael Langenhoven where these beautiful wines were paired with a menu created by Barry Vera (group Food & Beverage Director for EMEA).

Mont Rochelle - Virgin Hotels Hidden Grooves bar - credit Jeanne Horak

We started the evening in the hotel’s funky Hidden Grooves bar where the décor gives 70s vibes and the walls are lined with vinyl records. We enjoyed canapes of quail eggs topped with celery salt and shaved truffle; tiny Cornish crab tarts; and my personal favourite, miniature cones of wagyu beef tartare. These were perfectly paired with a glass of the maiden vintage 2023 Lady B cap Classique, of which only 2,723 bottles were produced. As Michael later explained, their flagship sparkling wine is named in honour of the late Lady Joan Branson and is a classic Champagne blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. It had delightfully fresh citrus and brioche notes on the nose with hints of white flowers; and the palate was zesty and refreshing but with a rich and creamy texture (a testimony to the 36 months it has spent on the lees).

Mont Rochelle - Virgin Hotels - Wagyu tartare cones - credit Jeanne Horak

After canapes we moved down to The Manor private dining room, an impressively large and high-ceilinged basement room where we were served our dinner. We also had an introduction to the Mont Rochelle winery from cellarmaster Michael who joined Mont Rochelle as cellarmaster in 2021 after working in South Africa at Simonsig, Boschendal and La Motte estates as well as in Rhône Valley, Sancerre, and California vineyards. Michael told us that although wine had been made on the estate for centuries when Branson acquired it in 2014, the decision was made to rip up all the existing vines and replant them in 2018. This was not only a way to control deadly leaf roll virus, but also to ensure that the varietals planted reflected modern trends in South African wine making. Of the farm’s approximately 36 hectare footprint, only 15ha is under vine and the farm only harvests 120 tons of grapes to produce about 90,000 bottles per year. This limited production volume places it firmly in boutique winery territory and means that the focus can be on quality rather than quantity.

Mont Rochelle - Virgin Hotels - Michael Langenhoven - credit Jeanne Horak

The estate enjoys a unique microclimate on the Dassenberg mountain slopes as a result of seven different types of soil and cooling south-easterly breezes that originate over the Atlantic ocean. Despite the cooling breezes, daytime late summer temperatures can easily reach the high 30s, so all grapes on the estate are picked either at night or before 08h00 in the morning to preserve acidity and freshness. They are all are hand-harvested and a team of only 8 people manually sort all the grapes. 60% of the production remains in South Africa with the vast majority of the wine being sold at the cellar door or at one of the estate’s on-site restaurants.

Mont Rochelle - Virgin Hotels - table - credit Jeanne Horak

Our first seated course was a refreshing chilled watercress and lettuce velouté accompanied by a crisp oyster beignet. This was paired with the 2025 Mont Rochelle Sauvignon Blanc, a wine made partly from grapes grown on the estate and partly from grapes sourced from cooler areas such as Darling. It is a wonderfully fruit-driven style of Sauvignon Blanc with a nose of passion fruit, gooseberries and green figs. The complex palate is lush with tropical fruit but retains some fresh bell pepper flavours and minerality that made it a wonderful pairing with the vegetal notes of the velouté.

Mont Rochelle - Virgin Hotels - watercress veloute - credit Jeanne Horak

This was followed by the prettiest and most innovative dish of the night: scallop ceviche with sweet pickled red onion, fresh raspberries and salted popcorn. These are not flavours I ever thought to put together on a plate but they were quite sublime in combination. The yielding flesh of the scallops (some of the sweetest I have ever tasted) were offset by the tart flavours of the onion and the ceviche marinade, while the popcorn added textural interest and the raspberries both flavour and a pop of colour. The pairing for this was the 2023 Mont Rochelle Syrah – a big boy at nearly 14% alcohol that has spent 18 months in new French oak. This was probably my favourite wine of the night with a nose of violets, intense red fruit and white pepper. The palate was deliciously juicy with vibrant red fruit and warm spice, but the elegant tannins and freshness meant it remained balanced and restrained despite the alcohol content. It was a brave choice with a fish course, but the robust flavours of the food and the elegance of the wine meant that neither overpowered the other.

Mont Rochelle - Virgin Hotels - scallop ceviche - credit Jeanne Horak

The meat course would make any carnivore’s heart beat faster: four hour slow-cooked beef fillet with parsley purée and Bordelaise sauce, accompanied by snail and an olive oil sabayon. The meat was sheer perfection – almost fork-tender but a perfect shade of pink in the centre; and the Bordelaise sauce was unctuous, reduced to near-caramel consistency. The parsley puree added a pop of colour and cut through the richness of both the beef and the snails. This was matched with a rather special wine: the 2023 MIKO Red (a blend of 59% Cabernet Franc and 41% Cabernet Sauvignon that has spent 24 months in French oak). Much like vintage Port, the Miko range is not made every year but only in years where the winemaker feels will be an outstanding vintage. And even then, only a few thousand bottles are produced.

Mont Rochelle - Virgin Hotels - beef fillet - credit Jeanne Horak

Michael explained to us that Miko Rwayitare was a Rwandan telecoms pioneer who founded Telecel and with the money that generated, diversified into wine and hospitality. He bought Mont Rochelle in 2001, becoming the first Black owner of a South African wine estate. Richard Branson bought the estate from Miko’s family and was so impressed by his story that the estate’s premium wines bear his name. The MIKO red is full-bodied (over 14.5% alcohol!) and has a very typical Cabernet-led nose featuring complex layers of cassis, blackberry, cherry and raspberry, plus characteristic perfumey notes. The palate features a wonderful harmony of rich dark fruit from the Cabernet Sauvignon and fresh vibrant red fruit from the Cabernet Franc. The tannins are very well integrated and provide both structure and a velvety texture as you savour the long finish.

Mont Rochelle - Virgin Hotels - Miko Chardonnay - credit Jeanne Horak

Dessert then arrived in the form of a slice of lemon tart with blackberry meringue, fresh blackberries and gold leaf garnish. Not only was this dainty and pretty, it also packed a punch of flavour with the fresh lemon and dark berry flavours lifted by the sweet crunch of the meringue. This was paired with the 2025 MIKO Chardonnay which is grown on the same block of land where Chardonnay was first grown on the estate in 1994. There are notes of stone fruit and orange rind on the nose, with hints of marzipan; and the 11 months that it spends in oak barrels provides great texture and a creamy, mineral finish with toasted brioche notes.

Mont Rochelle - Virgin Hotels - lemon tart - credit Jeanne Horak

The final stop on our culinary journey came in the form of a Cashel Blue tartlet on toasted brioche with hazelnut praline and pickled beetroot. I loved this take on a traditional cheese course, riffing on the traditional combination of crackers cheese and pickle/chutney by combining them into a single tart. The salty blue cheese and the earthy beetroot complemented each other beautifully and both were referenced in the nutty praline. The final wine pairing was the 2023 Mont Rochelle Cabernet Sauvignon made in classic style and matured for 18 months in French oak. I have always had a soft spot for South African Cabernet Sauvignons and this wine reminded me why: ruby red colour and a nose of eucalyptus, cassis and pencil shavings took me back to my first forays as a student into good red wine. And on the palate there were well-balanced flavours of lush dark berries, plums and cherries with a fine acidity and well-defined tannic structure, giving it a silky texture and a long, complex finish.

Mont Rochelle - Virgin Hotels - Cabernet Sauvignon - credit Jeanne Horak

Michael’s obvious dedication to and love for wine making in general and Mont Rochelle in particular shone forth all night as he took us through the story of the estate and the tasting of each wine. As I mentioned, the estate sells the wine on site either via the cellar door sales or in one of the estate restaurants but a limited range is available in the UK through Virgin Wines and Hard to Find Wines. All the wines we tasted pair brilliantly with a range of food and I’d highly recommend them if you are entertaining friends who scoff at the idea of New World wines rivalling Old World wines in quality.