Boplaas Best SA Port Producer at Classic Wine TOP SIX Cape Ports with fabulous five & a five star too Boplaas Family Vineyards, the benchmark Cape “Port” producer from the sleepy Klein Karoo hamlet of Calitzdorp, has once again proven its dominance of the category with an unprecedented five wines in Classic Wine’s TOP SIX, while also managing a perfect 5 Star rating for the Boplaas Vintners Reserve Cape Tawny N/V.
“Form is temporary, class is permanent,” is an oft heard quote in the context of sport, but it is quite an apt one when it comes to the crafting of fine Cape fortifieds. Crafting an exceptional fortified requires astute knowledge and skill along each step of the way from harvest, fortification, extended barrel maturation and the final blending creating a wine which quite easily can mature decades in bottle. Boplaas Family Vineyards continued its recent run of good form and showed its true class by producing an unprecedented five of the Classic Wine’s TOP SIX Cape “Ports”, as well as scooping the only 5 Star rating for the Boplaas Vintners Reserve Cape Tawny Non-Vintage (N/V). The Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve Port 2011 garnered 4 ½ Stars, while 4 Stars were awarded to the Boplaas Cape Vintage 2012, Boplaas “The Chocolate” Cape Vintage 2012 and the Boplaas CWG Cape Vintage Auction Reserve 2009 – while only one other wine managing a similar score.
A true testament to the patience and craftsmanship, the Boplaas Vinters Reserve Cape Tanwy N/V is a blend of only the finest Cape Tawny crafted from Tinta Barocca and Touriga Nacional, matured in old 500ℓ Port Pipes for twelve to fourteen years prior to blending. This lusciously complex fortified with its amber colour, heady aromatics and nutty flavour profile offers those lucky enough to broach a bottle or two the opportunity to taste a rare fine example of Boplaas Cape Tawny. Best served chilled, this wine is best accompanied by roast duck, pork dishes, mildly spiced Cape Malay cuisine or a fine selection of aged cheeses, charcuterie, preserved green figs or dark chocolate. This luminary wine cleaned up the competition circuit in 2013 receiving double gold at the Veritas awards, Grand d’Or at the Michelangelo International Wine Awards and top honours with the trophy at the CAPPA Challenge – an utter bargain from cellar door at R150 per half bottle.
Legendary wine judge Dave Hughes noted earlier this year at the CAPPA Challenge 2014 that the Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve Port 2011 was “,by a clear margin the best wine on show”, winning not only its class, but overall trophy too boot. It was also the only wine to garner 4 ½ Stars in the Classic WineTOP SIX. Meticulously crafted for decades of cellaring and enjoyment, from a quartet of Portuguese varietals – including a patch of wizened ungrafted Tinta Barocca on Boplaas – utilising traditional vinification techniques, matured in old barrels and bottled unfined & unfiltered to reflect the essence of the vintage, varieties and exceptional sites from which the wines were borne. A mere 400 cases of this fine Cape Vintage Reserve were crafted.
Although viewed as a luxury, untold value is to be had by consumers in this category, a point proven by both the 4 Star scoring Boplaas Cape Vintage 2012 and Boplaas “The Chocolate” Cape Vintage 2012, with the former selling from cellar door for R75 per bottle and the latter an amazing R55 per half bottle. Crafted from a trio of Portuguese varieties according to traditional techniques, the Boplaas Cape Vintage 2012 will offer exceptional drinking pleasure over the coming decade – if well cellared. Ripe black plum, sweet spice, firm tannins and an unmistakable hint of coco nib and dark chocolate– that is what old vine Tinta Barocca consistently delivers, thus the Boplaas “The Chocolate” Cape Vintage was borne – an utterly enjoyable Boplaas fortified.
Originating from a ungrafted Tinta Barocca vines, old vine Touriga Nacional, Souzão and Touriga Franca – the Boplaas CWG Cape Auction Reserve 2009 was crafted & blended solely for the CWG Auctions. Carel Nel is a 25 year guild member and still the only member from the Southern Cape.
These top Boplaas Cape fortieds – except the CWG Auction wine – are available from the Boplaas cellar door in Calitzdorp and Boplaas tasting room in Klein Brak along the Garden Route, as well as discerning fine wine retailers nationally.
For more information visit www.boplaas.co.za, give us a call on +27 (0)44 2133326, send us an email to [email protected], tweet us @Boplaas1880 or better yet, drop in for a tasting at our cellar door in Calitzdorp.
Calitzdorp Cellar door: OPEN Mondy – Friday, 09:00 – 17:00; Saturday 09:00 – 15:00 & Sundays 10:00 – 14:00
Boplaas Family Vineyards, Calitzdorp – Tending vines & Crafting wines, since 1880
