Quality is the golden thread that permeates the Boplaas portfolio, a fact re-affirmed once again by a long list of honours received by the Calitzdorp family farm over the past year. This is great news for festive season shoppers stocking up for themselves or looking for a gift that will always be a hit.
Almost all the award-winning wines and spirits, including rare and limited releases to outstanding everyday stalwarts, are available for order and door-to-door delivery via www.boplaas.co.za. Alternatively, use the opportunity to visit the cellar in Calitzdorp, taste its wares and see the newly revamped tasting room at the winery and distillery, to be unveiled before the long weekend in December.
“Boplaas has always been a labour of love for us, as I believe these awards – what esteemed others say about the Nels of Boplaas – shows,” says Carel Nel, elder winemaker and Boplaas cellarmaster.
“At its core, Boplaas is about passion, persistence, patience, precision and people – characteristics I first heard ascribed by a great man of wine to his own family’s long dedication to excellence. The Antonori Family in Italy has been in the wine business since 1385, for 26 generations. I attended a tasting by the current owner, Piero Antonori, a few years ago and what he said really stuck with me.
“My own father often said, ons is wyn mense! [We are wine people]. I like to think he would have been proud of the way Boplaas has carried the flame.”
Highlights of the year
Among the achievements of the year, Boplaas won its fourth consecutive title as South Africa’s Fortified Wine of the Year, named as such by globally influential connoisseur Tim Atkin MW. This was for the Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve Port 2022.
The Platter’s South African wine guide awarded five stars to four Boplaas products in its recently released 2025 edition. This includes two port wines, the Boplaas Cape Tawny NV and the Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve 2022, as well as the 12YO and 20YO Boplaas pot still brandy.
This year, the Boplaas 2005 Colheita Cape Tawny was also rated South Africa’s best port by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. The platform is among one of the world’s most influential platforms with subscribers across the US and in more than 40 countries. Back on home ground, the 2007 vintage of the same port was named best in category at this year’s SA Terroir Awards.
Boplaas dominated the port and Portuguese table wine categories at the 2024 Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards by winning Platinum, Double Gold and five Golds.
Judges at the National Wine Challenge chose the 2021 Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve Port as its Port of the Year.
The cellar was also named Best Port Producer at the annual Veritas Wine Awards having won two Double Gold and four Golds for port and red wine.
Boplaas Hanepoot led the cellar’s achievements at this year’s SA Young Wine Show – the country’s oldest competition. It received the trophy as South African Champion while Boplaas also won four Golds in the port wine category.
A special highlight for Boplaas was that its Alvarinho was chosen to be part of The Wine Society UK’s 150th anniversary celebration and The Society’s Generation Series of South African Wines. The wine is only in its second vintage.
Boplaas Ring of Rocks Family Reserve 2021, a red blend of Portuguese varieties has done extremely well by winning double platinum at National Wine Challenge, Top 10 red wines at Wine Magazine, gold at Michelangelo Awards.
On the spirits front, Gold was awarded to the Boplaas Single Cask – Single Grain 10YO Rum Cask Finish whisky at this year’s International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC). It received an outstanding 95 points. Not only is the IWSC is one of the most respected global wine and spirits competitions, but the whisky sold out within just four weeks of release.
More places to find and taste the excellence of Boplaas
In addition to being available from Boplaas’s online store, the range of ports, wines and spirits are available from tasting rooms in Calitzdorp at the farm and across the Garden Route including at Redberry Farm in George and Hart & Bosch Village in Hartenbos.
For more information, email admin@boplaas.co.za or call 044 213 3326. Boplaas is also on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Boplaas1880/).