Six of South Africa’s top sommeliers have selected Boschendal’s 1685 Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 for the prestigious Sommelier Selection 2017 wine list. The rich, intense red was selected in a blind-tasting for the Voluptuous and Rich category, with its prominent black fruit, elegant spice, structure and well-integrated tannins.

The wine list – which is shared with SA’s top dining establishments around the country– is curated from ashort-list of 500 wines. Boschendal’s exquisite red will join 90 other wines all chosen for their drinkablity, excellent food pairing– and exceptionally high quality. Sommeliers on the judging panel included Pearl Oliver from Taj Cape Town, Billet Magara from Oyster Box Hotel, Joseph Dafana from La Colombe, Esmé Groenewald,Barry Schofield and Joakim Blackadder.

Shirley van Wyk, Marketing Manager of Boschendal Winesays, “We have a proud history of producing quality Cabernet Sauvignons. Our 1685 label receiving this acclaim for our new launch is evidence of this. We are thrilled to have been recognised by these respected and talented sommeliers.”

Grapes for the 1685 Cabernet Sauvignon are all sourced from the Stellenbosch region, regarded as the highest quality Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards in South Africa. Winemaker Richard Duckitt says, “We were able to find the right vineyards to produce the 1685 Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2015 vintage was an exceptional one. The wine is vibrant and deep with a powerful character.”

The Sommeliers Selection Awards are held annually to recognise the leading products across a range of wine and now beer categories.  It serves as a great platform for benchmarking products in the industry.