Boplaas Family Vineyards emerged as one of the top performers at this year’s Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards, announced on Monday. The Calitzdorp producer received a Platinum Award for its Cape Vintage Reserve Port 2020 as well as five Golds, and one Double Gold.
Significantly, the awards were spread across the winery’s portfolio, vintages and price points, and included accolades for brandy and whisky too.
Within the wine portfolio, Gold was awarded to the Boplaas Touriga Nacional Family Reserve 2020; Boplaas Ring of Rocks Family Reserve 2021; Boplaas Gamka Family Reserve 2021; and Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve Port 2006.
Among the spirits, Double Gold went to the Boplaas Single Grain 10YO Whisky Rum Cask finish while Gold was awarded to the Boplaas Single Harvest 17YO Potstill Brandy.
“These ratings by an international panel again showcase the outstanding quality underscored by the Boplaas name,” says Boplaas marketing manager Rozanne Nel. “They also reaffirm the suitability of the Klein Karoo for producing outstanding wines from Portuguese varieties; the age-ability of our Cape Ports; and, the legacy behind our spirits.
“Potstill brandy has been distilled at Boplaas since 1880, when it was exported in barrels to England,” she says.
About distilling at Boplaas
The farm’s location is key in the excellence of its produce. The arid climate intensifies maturation in spirits. The farm uses amongst others, hand selected, ex-bourbon casks and barrels that once held the wine farm’s champion port wines too.
In finalising the whiskies and ports for bottling, Boplaas also uses the crystalline waters from the Swartberg Mountains nearby.
About Portuguese varieties
Portuguese wine grape varieties thrive in the Klein Karoo. But they arrived at Boplaas by chance. The farm’s late patriarch, Danie Nel, ordered Shiraz vines from a nursery in the Cape, only to realise years later that it was Tinta Barocca. The discovery was made by Carel Nel while he was studying at Stellenbosch University, putting him on the path to produce world class red wines from Portuguese varieties and ports.
Years later, his daughter and current Boplaas winemaker Margaux Nel, would continue the tradition and complete her MSc degree at Stellenbosch University, focusing on one of these Portuguese varieties – Touriga Nacional – as red table wine.
These wines and spirits, excluding the Cape Vintage Reserve 2020, are available from the Boplaas cellar door in Calitzdorp; its online shop; tasting rooms at the Redberry farm in George and Hart & Bosch Village in Hartenbos; as well as discerning fine wine retailers nationwide.
For more information, email admin@boplaas.co.za or call 044 213 3326. Boplaas is also on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Boplaas1880/).