Regarded as the Lone Ranger of the prestigious Cape Winemakers Guild due to the fact Boplaas owner and cellar master Carel Nel, is still the only member from the Klein Karoo and this year celebrates his 27th consecutive auction with two unique limited
release auction offerings. For the very
first time Carel will be offering his Ouma
Cloete Straw Wine 2012, as well as the much lauded 1880 Ox Wagon 8 Year Old Cape Potstill Brandy.
From the outset
Carel has dedicated himself to shifting the perception of the possibilities of
the Klein Karoo by planting traditional Douro varietals in Calitzdorp for the
crafting of proper “Port” and table wines, as well as crafting the very first Estate Potstill brandies in 1989 and
releasing said brandy, the Boplaas 5 Year
Old Potstill Estate Brandy in 1994.
The release of the first Estate Brandy was quite fitting, as the Nel’s
of Boplaas have a tradition of distilling the finest potstill brandy dating
back to 1880.
To commemorate
the very first export of a Boplaas brandy to the United Kingdom, which was
transported by ox wagon from the Klein Karoo to the Cape Town harbor in 1880,
Carel’s auction brandy is aptly named the 1880
Ox Wagon Cape Potstill. This year’s auction brandy is an expert blend of
the finest eight year matured potstill brandy crafted in small batches from
hand-harvested Colombar grown in the deep red alluvial soils of Calitzdorp,
double distilled in an old copper potstill and matured in fine old Limousin
barrique.
The 1880 greets the tasters with a
multi-layered combination of dried apricot, ripe peach, orange blossom,
Eucalyptus honey, bright wood spice, vanilla bean; while undercurrents of roast
coffee bean, coco nib and tangerine marmalade are wrapped in a svelte, fine
spirit and bees wax finish. A mere 30 x 6 bottle cases of this rare golden
coppery spirit will be up for auction and Christian Eedes rated it an
unprecedented 93 points in his annual review of CWG offerings.
Continuing the
theme of honouring the Nel’s vinous heritage, comes the maiden release of the Ouma Cloete Straw Wine, named after
Carel’s great grandmother who’s family
left Constantia at the turn of the 20th century to seek better
farming fortunes in the Klein Karoo.
This complex bright gold straw wine was crafted from sun-dried Viognier
and will make an ideal accompaniment to Cantonese dishes, traditional Cape
Malay fare, aromatic Moroccan dished, enjoyed with desserts, such as Peach
Melba, or a selection of fine fromage. Eminent US wine critic Stephen Tanzer rated
this maiden Calitzdorp straw wine an impressive 91 points & was taken aback
by the complexity of this “lush, suave,
naturally sweet dessert wine”. As with the brandy, a mere 30 x 6 half
bottle cases will be auctioned.
These
exceptional Boplaas CWG auction wines will be joined by the other 43 members’
wines at the public auction to be held next Saturday the 4th of
October at Spier in Stellenbosch starting at 09:00. For
more information visit the CWG website at www.capewinemakersguild.com, or inquire details on 021 – 852 0408.
Alternatively, contact Boplaas on 044-213 3326 or send an email to info@boplaas.co.za for
more information on this fine auction offering and our range of fine wines,
Cape fortifieds & Potstill brandies.
Boplaas Calitzdorp, Cellar door: OPEN
Mondy – Friday, 09:00 – 17:00; Saturday 09:00 – 15:00 & Sundays 10:00 –
14:00
Boplaas
Family Vineyards, Calitzdorp – Tending vines & Crafting wines, since 1880