This year commemorates Carel Nel of Boplaas’s 28th consecutive auction for the prestigious Cape Winemakers Guild on Saturday 3rd October at Spier in Stellenbosch. At this public auction the final few cases of Ouma Cloete Straw Wine 2013 will be joined by the maiden release of Daniël’s Legacy 2013 – a Portuguese varietal led blend named in honour of Boplaas’s bon vivant partiach Oupa Danie Nel.
Regarded as the Lone Ranger of the Cape Winemakers Guild, due to the fact Boplaas owner and cellar master Carel Nel, is still the only member from the Klein Karoo and this year celebrates his 28th consecutive auction with two exceptionally unique limited release auction offerings. The maiden release of Daniël’s Legacy 2013 a Portuguese varietal led blend in honour of Boplaas’s bon vivant patriarch Oupa Danie Nel – whose mistaken planting of Tinta Barocca on Boplaas led to the establishment of this cellars reputation as a benchmark producer of fine Cape “Port”. The last few cases of the luminary maiden vintage of the Ouma Cloete Straw Wine 2013 will also come under the hammer.
From the outset Carel has dedicated himself to shifting the perception of the possibilities of the Klein Karoo by planting traditional Douro varietals in Calitzdorp for the crafting of proper “Port” and table wines, as well as crafting the very first Estate Potstill brandies in 1989 & also releasing the potential of sourcing varietals from the best terroirs across the length and breadth of the Cape for the crafting of exceptional quality wines.
The maiden vintage of Daniël’s Legacy 2013, pays homage to Boplaas’s wine loving patriarch Oupa Danie Nel, who after a sojourn through the Swartland in the 1970’s was utterly convinced by the potential of Shiraz & proceeded to plant some in the Klein Karoo; only for the Nel’s of Boplaas to later find out they were duped by the nurseryman who’d sent them Tinta Barocca & this fortuitous event inadvertently set the course for the crafting of fine fortifieds & table wines from Portuguese varieties at Boplaas.. To celebrate Oupa Danie’s folly, the very finest barrels of Tinta Barocca, Shiraz, Touriga Nacional and Touriga Francesa originating from low yielding old vines and traditionally vinified, were blended to create a fulsome, buxomly fruited & age-worthy fine red. Gregarious & slightly hulk’ish, this complex red will perfectly pair with waterblommetjie potjie, braai’d springbok loin, slow roast Karoo lamb or hearty rustic fare of your choosing or simply enjoy around the fireside with family stories of the past. A scant 30 x 6 cases of this maiden release will be available for auction.
Another wine honouring the Nel’s vinous heritage, comes in the form of the maiden release of Ouma Cloete Straw Wine 2013, named after Carel’s great grandmother who’s family left Constantia at the turn of the 20th century to seek better farming fortunes in the Klein Karoo. This complex bright gold straw wine was crafted from sun-dried Viognier and makes an ideal accompaniment to Cantonese dishes, traditional Cape Malay fare, aromatic Moroccan dished, enjoyed with desserts, such as Peach Melba or a selection of fine fromage. Eminent US wine critic Stephen Tanzer rated this maiden vintage Calitzdorp straw wine an impressive 91 points last year & was taken aback by the complexity of this “lush, suave, naturally sweet dessert wine”. A mere 30 x 6 half bottle cases will come under the hammer.
These exceptional Boplaas CWG auction wines will be joined by the other 46 members’ wines at the public auction to be held the 3rd of October at Spier in Stellenbosch starting at 09:00.
