The Cape Meets East Austin

Words Tanya White  |  Photos Cassandra Klepac

Just east of I-35, adventurists and wine-lovers are invited to step into another world and experience the wines, food, and culture of South Africa. Sip on chilled grape varietals common to the region and learn about culinary delights of this lesser-known wine at Cape Bottle Room.  

Cape Bottle Room opened with a commitment to bringing South African wines to Central Texas, and it remains committed to creating a cultural space that brings these unique wines and gastronomy events to the community. Danya Declusin, co-founder and proprietor, shares that she wasn’t always confident in the concept, “If we needed to pivot away from South African wines, I would’ve considered it, but we’ve been going strong for two years now; I’m definitely hooked. We are South African, and that’s it.” Austin’s Eastside holds special appeal for their business concept, representing a diversity and sense of culture that’s open-minded.“I’m bringing guests to an unknown region and need willingness to give it a chance,” Danya explains.

Numerous grape varietals are available to meet every taste profile. Chilled red Cinsault wine, a French varietal typically used as a blending grape, is always on hand; it’s light-bodied, dry, and carries notes of cherry or strawberry. The Cap Classique is an effervescent wine filled with flavor that some consider a contender to champagne. Chenin Blanc is the most planted white grape varietal in South Africa, produced with such a range of taste profiles that it’s difficult to pin down.

With an expanded menu, there’s plenty to nosh on while sipping. Cape Bottle Room offers charcuterie boards that include dried meat called Biltong, cured in vinegar and air dried whole before slicing. It is typically softer and saltier than its beef jerky counterpart. Cheese boards from Antonelli’s are a staple. General Manager, Casie Wiginton, is a Certified Cheese Professional and has the Level 3 WSET wine certification, meaning she knows how to bring the pairings together beautifully.

Cape Bottle Room gives many reasons to visit, with a variety of events, like Flight Club, which is wine and sushi pairing from Osome, rugby game-viewing dinner nights, or pasta-making classes in partnership with Intero. Anyone interested in deepening their knowledge of South African wines can join the monthly wine club, take a wine and cheese class, or catch one of the top-shelf tasting events that happen quarterly. 

With things going well at Cape Bottle Room, it’s hard not to think about what’s next. Danya smiles, “It’s still top secret, but there are expansion plans, so stay tuned!” 

Shiny & New:  The Cap Classique Producers Association (CCPA) celebrated 50 years of sparkling wine from South Africa. While that is only a drop in the bucket age-wise compared to champagne, which traces back to the Romans, the tasty bubbles have experienced double-digit growth in recent years and are gaining notoriety globally.