The 2021 Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve continues the Nel family heritage of crafting the very finest Cape fortifieds utilising Portuguese varieties on old vines the farm in Calitzdorp, along with small parcels of top-grade 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 with wine spirit. It was then matured for two years in old large-format French oak barrels before bottling, unfined and unfiltered.
Tasting notes
Inky black in colour with hints of purple-black on the rim, the wine show, a bouquet of crushed blackberries, tart cranberries, kirsch and blue violets. Bright all-spice top notes mingle with fynbos and savoury undercurrents. On the palate, the powerful fruit flavours merge with notes of liquorice, and conclude a dry finish. Time will temper the fiery fruity exuberance of youth and slowly unfurl the complexities of this fine Cape Fortified.
Serving suggestions
Buxomly spiced, full fruited and tannic in its youth, this wine is artfully crafted for decades of development in bottle – if you wish to enjoy it in its youth, best decant and company with earthy rustic dishes, braised meat dishes, venison, fine hard cheeses, charcuterie, tapas and a selection of nuts, dried fruits or succulently sweet green figs. Alternately, cellar carefully and revel in the evolution of this testament to an unwavering dedication to crafting the finest Cape fortified.
