Boplaas Family Vineyards outside Calitzdorp in the Klein Karoo has over the years become synonymous with the production of outstanding port wines, as well as table wines from Portuguese varieties. This award-winning estate has once again underlined its enviable reputation at the 2017 Novare SA Terroir Wine Awards by winning the category for port wines with the Boplaas Cape Vintage 2014.
This is not the first time the Boplaas Cape Vintage 2014 has impressed as it was awarded 4 1/2 stars in the authoritative 2016 Platter wine guide.
Boplaas also won the top sauvignon blanc award for its Boplaas Bobbejaanberg Sauvignon Blanc 2016 in the Klein Karoo, Swartberg and Prince Albert ward, while the Boplaas Heritage White Muscadel 2014 won the sweet fortified wine category.
The Boplaas Cape Vintage 2014 was crafted from a trio of hand-harvested, old vine Portuguese varieties, namely touriga nacional, tinta barocca and souzao.
Regarded by many in Portugal as the premium grape variety and the mainstay of many fine ports over the years, touring nacional has become a passion at Boplaas and dominates the bend in the Cape Vintage 2014. Although tinta barocca made its way to Boplaas by fluke – the Boplaas patriarch, Oupa Danie Nel, mistook it for shiraz in the late 70s – it has become an essential part of port as well as table wines at the estate. It was Danie’s son and current owner and cellar master, Carel Nel, who discovered the mistake while studying oenology at the University of Stellenbosch.
The Cape Vintage 2014 is destined for decades of enjoyment if carefully cellared, but is without question also quite irresistible in its youth. Decant and enjoy it accompanied by hearty rustic country fare such as springbok pie, waterblommetjie, braised beef short-rib or slow roast leg of Karoo lamb. Or take the decadent route with dark chocolate, aged hard cheese, preserved fruit or charcuterie.
Traditional vinification techniques are employed in the production of Boplaas port wines, including extensive manual pipeage in open top laggers and ageing in old large-format oak barrels, prior to bottling unfined and unfiltered.