Dear reader
 
Congratulations to all our members doing so well at the regional competitions this year. Cellars that did exceptionally well are the Champion Co-op Cellar for the Klein Karoo Young Wine Show, second consecutive year - Montagu Wine & Spirit Company and De Krans Wines, being both the Champion Private Cellar at the Klein Karoo Young Wine Show and the Champion Cellar at the Southern Cape Bottled Wine Show. De Krans Wines also received the trophy for the National Champion Muscadel at the National Young Wine Show and Calitzdorp Cellar produced the National Champion Port at the same competition!

Klein Karoo Young Wine Show. Each year, the young wines of the winelands are judged to see what the quality of the harvest is and the results are always eagerly anticipated.
 
This year, in the Klein Karoo, Montagu Wine & Spirits Company was appointed the Champion Co-op Cellar producing the Champion Red Table Wine, Champion Pinotage, Champion Ruby Cabernet and the Champion Cabernet Sauvignon, a trophy they share with Boplaas, the Reserve Champion Private Cellar.
 

The Champion Private Cellar is De Krans with their White Muscadel Jerepigo being the Champion Muscat Fortified Wine and the Champion Wine of the day. They also entered the Champion Sauvignon blanc and the Champion Shiraz. The Reserve Champion Wine (the Champion Non-Muscat Fortified Wine) and the Champion Merlot were from Calitzdorp Cellar, the Reserve Champion Co-op Cellar.
   
Montagu Cellar entered the Champion Chenin blanc and the Champion Chardonnay, which was also the Champion White Table Wine of the competition.

  
Back from left to right: Jean Fourie (La Marié); Christiaan van Tonder (Montagu Wine & Spirits Co); Cobus la Grange (Montagu Cellar); Abraham Pretorius (Calitzdorp Cellar); Alwyn Burger (Calitzdorp Cellar); Stroebel Nel (De Krans); Front from left to rights: Margaux Nel (Boplaas); Boets Nel (De Krans); Eben Rademeyer (Montagu Cellar; Chris Crafford (Montagu Wine & Spirits Co)

Each year bottled wines from the Klein Karoo/Southern Cape are judged in the Southern Cape Bottled Wine Show. Only wine made from grapes harvested in the region may be entered. 2011 delivered a few exciting results.
 
De Krans Wines in Calitzdorp was appointed the Champion Cellar and Karusa Vineyards in Schoemanshoek, Oudtshoorn the Reserve Champion Cellar in the region with the Champion Dry Red Wine, their 2010 Terre Noire Syrah and the Champion Dry White Wine, for their 2010 Earths’ Art Chardonnay/Viognier blend, a trophy they share with Joubert-Tradauw Private Cellar for their 2010 Joubert-Tradauw Chardonnay.
 
The Madder Botha Trophy for the Champion Wine was awarded to the De Krans 2009 Cape Vintage Reserve Port, the Champion Port of the competition. Their 2010 Tempranillo is the Champion Unusual Red Wine.
 
Calitzdorp Cellar received the trophy for the Champion Fortified Wine, a 2010 White Muscadel (500ml). Southern Cape Vineyards entered the two Champion Potstill brandies, the Barry & Nephews Muscat Potstill (3 year) and the Ladismith Potstill (8 Year).
 

  
Back from left to right: Ferdi Smit (SCV: Barrydale); Boets Nel (De Krans); Alwyn Burger (Calitzdorp Cellar) Front from left to right: Jacques Conradie (Karusa); Meyer Joubert (Joubert-Tradauw);
Stroebel Nel (De Krans)

Already an award-winning wine, the De Krans Tawny Port recently scored a perfect 100 points at an awards ceremony hosted by the South African Wine Index (SAWI). A total of 10 wines scored a perfect 100 points, resulting in a historic moment for the SAWI as well as the industry.
  
The SAWI is a multi vintage wine rating, deducted from the combined preferences of a diverse group of wine judges from an assortment of wine competitions, providing a condensed result point. Other considerations include quality consistency while a nominal point is awarded for additional accolades. Further judging takes place according to wine maturation categories.

  

‘We are thrilled by this latest recognition, which further establishes us as front runners within the port industry in South Africa,” says winemaker, Boets Nel. Besides this prestigious accolade the De Krans Cape Tawny Port also boasts a Platter 5-star rating in the 2011 Platter Wine Guide, Double gold at Veritas 2010, Best overall port at the SAPPA Peter Schulz Port Challenge 2010 and 2009, as well as a 5-star rating in Wine in June 2010.    This port is distinguished by its lovely copper colour, its long, lingering aftertaste, breathtaking coffee and toffee aromas with a hint of nuts and raisins. The perfect partner to enjoy with a hearty brown onion soup, coffee and chocolates, the De Krans Cape Tawny Port retails for approximately R105 per bottle, and is available at most retail outlets nationwide.

  
For more information on the farm and other wines in their range feel free to visit their website on www.dekrans.co.za or contact Helet or Bessie at the farm on 044 213 3314.

The Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve Port 2006 has proved it mettle as being one of the best Ports in the Cape, by garnering the highest accolades in all competitions it entered. The accolades started to befall this fine Cape Port in 2006, when this wine was crowned South African Champion Port at the South African National Young Wine Show; a 5 Star from Platter’s followed in 2009; while in 2010 it received WINE magazines full five star rating and at Veritas Double gold was added to the list, and finally this auspicious Cape Port was crowned Champion Port, as well as Vintage Port category winner, at the SAPPA Port Challenge 2011.

 

The Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve 2006 is crafted from a combination of the Portuguese varietals Touriga Naçional, Tinta Barocca and Souzão, all originating from a selection of old, low yielding vineyards. As with all Boplaas’s Cape Ports the traditional Port making techniques are followed as far as possible, such as fermentation in lagares, manual pigeage, while the wines are fortified with only the finest brandy spirit, matured in Port pipes and finally bottled unfiltered and unfined.    The Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve 2006 is still very much in the primary stages of development - with a bouquet of ripe apricot, peach, macerated black hedgerow fruits, plums, leather, allspice and “meaty-earthy” notes – and will continue to develop over the next four decades or more.

   
On a recent visit to Portugal, a few bottles of Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve Port 2006 were taken with to gauge its quality against the best of the Duoro, many great Port makers such as Peter Symington, Dirk Niepoort enthused about this Cape Ports exceptional quality and its similarity to the very best Vintages of the Douro.
 
The Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve Port 2006, a limited production of 4800 bottles, is still available from selected fine retailers and direct from the cellar. For enquiries contact Boplaas Family Vineyards on 044 213 3326 or send a mail to boplaas@mweb.co.za.