Top image: Boplaas owner and winemaker, Carel Nel
When it comes to Cape Port, Boplaas Family Vineyards is a true champion. The fact has just been re-affirmed by the NWC/Top 100 SA Wine Challenge 2020 with the inclusion of the Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve Port 2018.
The Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve Port continues the Nel Family legacy of crafting the very finest Cape Ports from Portuguese grape varieties. Its history dates to the early 1980’s when Boplaas was the first winery exclusively using Portuguese varieties and producing in a traditional drier style, just like the Portuguese. In 1986 Boplaas won the first SA Champion Port Trophy at the SA National Young Wine Show. The Reserve of 1991 was the first Boplaas Port to receive a five-star rating from Platter’s South African Wine Guide and since then, 16 of the farm’s ports have repeated the feat.
The Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve Port 2018 is produced from the Portuguese varieties Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barocca, Touriga Francesca and Souzão. The fruit hails from old vines at the farm in Calitzdorp, along with small parcels of top-graded fruit from vineyards that supply Boplaas. Grapes were hand-harvested at optimal ripeness and fermented in lagars, with intense manual pigeage to extract optimal flavour, colour and tannin prior to fortification. It was aged for 12 months in old Portuguese “pipes”.
The wine shows an inky black colour in the glass with a bouquet of crushed blackberries, tart cranberries, kirsch and blue violets. Bright all-spice top-notes mingle with fynbos.
On the palate, powerful fruit flavours are highlighted especially by notes of red fruits with hints of dark chocolate. Every sip concludes in a dry finish. Time will temper the fiery, fruity exuberance of youth and slowly unfurl the complexities of this fine Cape Port.
Under current temporary pandemic regulations, Boplaas may not trade wine in South Africa. Keep an eye on our social media channels on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for the announcement when our wines and award-winning spirits again become available.
