Dear reader
  
It is May and the harvest is in. A lower yield – in some instances as low as 29% lower than last year – but nevertheless an interesting harvest with exciting red wines.
  
The first accolades are also coming in, like the Boplaas Cape Tawny Port which was selected as “Port of the Year” for 2010 by South African Airways and the results from the WINE Magazine Port Tasting. Brandy is also important as it is the Standard Bank Fine Brandy Festival - a unique, all-brandy event taking place from 5 to 7 May 2010 at the Sandton Sun.

  

Boplaas Wine Cellar in Calitzdorp showed again that their Ports are world-class. The Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve Port 2006 is the only Vintage Port that received a 5-star rating in the April issue of WINE Magazine. In the 2010 Platter Wine Guide, the wine was also rated 5 stars. This beautiful Port with a dark-black colour and intense fruit, violet and Christmas cake flavours, has the potential to age for 30 years and more. It is available at Boplaas Cellars and their Cool Bay tasting room at Klein Brak River (near Mossel Bay) as well as selected bottle stores.

 
Both the Boplaas Cape Tawny Port N/V and the Cape Tawny Port 1997 were rated 4 stars. The Cape Tawny Port was also selected as “Port of the Year” for 2010 by South African Airways. The Boplaas Cape Ruby Port (4 stars in the 2010 Platter Wine Guide) was rated as “Best Value” by WINE Magazine.
 
The cellar can be contacted at 044 213 3326 or boplaas@mweb.co.za.

   

De Krans Wine Cellar got 5 stars for their Cape Tawny Port at the annual WINE Magazine Port Tasting and was the only 5-star Cape Tawny Port at the tasting. This wine was already crowned as overall Champion Port in South Africa at the 2009 Peter Schulz Port Challenge and also received a 5-star rating in the 2010 Platter Wine Guide.
  
The 2008 Cape Vintage Reserve Port got 4½ stars and will be released in May 2010. It follows in the footsteps of the 2006 Cape Vintage Reserve Port that was the top-rated port in the 2009 Port Tasting in WINE Magazine, also with 4½ stars. The 2006 got a Platter 5-star rating in 2009 as well.

  
For further enquiries, contact Helet or Bessie at De Krans at 044 213 3314/64 or dekrans@mweb.co.za.

  

Red leaves, red men and red wine bring warmth to a rustic cellar in the Outeniquas. Enjoy a day at Herold Wines on the Montagu Pass near George with coffee and rusks, a walk through the vineyards to view rock art, wine tasting, soup and farm bread for lunch around the fireplace in the cellar and a bottle of the Herold 2007 Red Men to take home.
 
The cost is R150 per person and to book one of these dates - Tuesday, 8th of June, Wednesday, 16th of June and Saturday, 19th of June - contact the cellar at 072 833 8223 or heroldwines@xsinet.co.za.

  

Did you know - Joseph Barry Traditional celebrates its 10th Anniversary? The first Joseph Barry was launched at the Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town - April 2000 and to celebrate this mile stone, Barrydale Cellar bottled a special 10th Anniversary Joseph Barry Traditional Pot Still Brandy. It is only available from the cellar at a price of R450 per bottle.

For more information regarding the Joseph Barry Traditional Pot Still Brandy or any other product, please contact the Barrydale Cellar at 028 551 1042 or gm@scv.co.za.

Meet the tasting room personnel. Heila Cronjé is the face behind the wine counter at Bergwater Vineyards. Her duties include administration, presenting wine tastings and handling wine sales. She and her husband settled in 1997 in Prince Albert after falling in love with the town, visiting from Pretoria.
 
Her favourite wine from the cellar:
The fruity Sauvignon Blanc and the spicy Shiraz.
 
Fact about Heila you probably did not know:
She loves animals. She made a home for dogs, cats, birds, chickens, ducks, a tortoise and till recently, a baby owl which has been rehabilitated!

  

Yours Sincerely
Ellen Marais
KLEIN KAROO WINE ROUTE
Tel: 028 572 1284
 
Email: info@kleinkaroowines.co.za
Website: www.kleinkaroowines.co.za