Wednesday, November 03, 2021

MENU visits the Karoo and the Garden Route 4. Calitzdorp - Boplaas

Our next appointment was at Boplaas. Margaux Nel, who was away at the seaside with her family that weekend, had arranged a special tasting for us with the Tasting room manager, Annerie. She asked what we wanted to taste and we said, "Just bring us what you think we would like to taste". And she did. Another essential to visit when you visit Calitzdorp

They have a good wine selection, very good ports and brandy, gin and whisky
There are vintage wines that you can taste (not often available at wineries, so rather special) and Muscadels
 It was another super tasting. They spoil you in Calitzdorp

Let them do it, please!

Very comfortable indoor space

We always choose to sit outside if the weather is good

An old copper brandy still and some historic photographs

and special tastings on offer

We started with the Boplaas Family Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2021 from the Bobbejaanberg on the Outeniqua mountains near Wilderness and Knysna. It has a classic tropical Sauvignon Blanc lime curd nose, with guava, granadilla on the rich and full palate with a little residual sugar

A tasting happening on another table

Then the 2018 Gamka Branca Reserve white blend of Verdelho, Chardonnay, Viognier, Grenache Blanc and Roussanne. The first blend was in 2017 which has some Grenache Blanc added. It is barrel fermented and matured. On the nose citrus and floral notes, on the palate rich complex tangerine, grapefruit, lime and ripe pear, toasted wood, some tannins and minerality. Very unusual and interesting. Wine Magazine voted it the Best White Blend. 4.5 stars in Platter

The Ring of Rocks is blend of Portuguese grapes: Tinta Barocca; Touriga Nacional; Touriga Francesca, fermented in temperature controlled open top cement fermenters and aged in 1st and 2nd fill barrels. It does smell of Portuguese wines on the nose with a little smoke, lots of cherry and cassis, layered and complex with salty licorice on the end

The 2016 Touriga Nacional which Tim Atkin scored 90 points, has a heady porty nose of dark fruit, incense wood and the barrel cellar. Dark berries, quite a lot of acidity, layers of fruit and brandy, tarry, with some salty licorice on the end

On the wall is information about the cheese platter which we were given and enjoyed

The Boplaas Cape Tawny Vintners Reserve Bin 1880, made from Tinta Barocca, Touriga Nacional and Souzão, is kept in barrel for 15 to 18 years before bottling. It’s a raisined port style wine, pure luscious deliciousness, quite spicy and showing its good age, almost balsamic in texture and flavour

Two more beauties. Boplaas 2016 Cape Vintage Reserve which has won lots of prestigious awards. A blend of Touriga Nacional (80%); Tinta Barocca (10%) Souzão (5%); Touriga Franca (5%). It is excellent and has beautiful red and black berry fruit on the nose, which follows through on the delicious palate

The 2004 Boplaas Port, Cape Vintage Reserve was very special and we feel honoured at being allowed to taste it. The richness on the nose is superb, balsamic notes from the long wood contact and concentrated by the age. Superb on the palate, it hasn't lost any of its intensity of the fruit in the younger 2016, it has just got better. Licorice wood on the end. WOW

We asked about the cheeses on the platter and were given this list
We didn't know any of them and they were all enjoyable

They generously brought us a cheese and meat platter and it was the perfect way to end a lovely day of excellent wines and ports. We have to commend them too for staying late for us, as there were so many wines for us to taste

And finally! Boplaas 12 year old Potstill Brandy, a Platter 5 star. Made from Colombard grapes. It has caramel and nuts, vanilla, nougat, apricots and is rather spirity at 43%

Boplaas 1880 Whisky, 6 years old, made from maize. Boplaas' history of distilling fine pot still brandy dates back to 1880, when the first order of casks was sent to Cape Town harbour by ox-wagon for delivery to London. This won Best SA Whisky in the Michelangelo Wine and Spirit competition in 2018. It is aged in old bourbon casks and finished in old Tawny Port casks. It has coconut, caramel vanilla and apricot on the nose, and full-on apricot fruit flavours on the palate

and great legs. Slange Var! (Slainte Mhath in Gaelic)

The Ring of Rocks which gives its name to the wine

The evening was cooler and we saw the Milky Way and the waxing Moon in close conjunction with bright Venus
And so to bed, ready for another lovely day of freedom

Click here for the next episode: Peter Bayly Wines

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