Tasting Note

The nose is dark, intense and brooding with aromas of black cherries, cardamom, sweet tobacco, espresso and subtle whiffs of perfume. The dark fruit character of the nose follows through onto an exceptionally complex, juicy palate with gentle nuances of ripe plums, violets, black olives, cloves, and liquorice. The mid-palate is focused, lithe and elegant with very fine, cocoa powdery tannins. The wine is medium bodied, very balanced with an earthy, layered character, covering the entire spectrum of berry fruit - from tart red plums to rich blue and black berries. The finish is svelte, clean and dry, peppery and lingering, with hints of dried cranberry, tar, graphite and smoke.

92 points Tim Atkin

Producer

Established in 1776, Boekenhoutskloof is named after an indigenous Cape Beech tree which is highly used for making furniture, however, the name also means "ravine of the Boekenhoet". The Winery is located in the furthest corner of the Franschhoek Valley. The farm nd homestead was bought and restored in 1993, when a new vineyard planting programme was established. The farm now grows grapes including: Syran, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Semillon and Viognier - with Syrah being the winery's specialty. 

Managing Partner and Technical Director, Marc Kent is the driving force behind many of the brands and properies within the company, with his willingness to experiment with the unconventional being one of his key attitudes. However, his main commitment is to the quality, on every level and in every detail, of the process of creating the wines. He is committed not only to the growth and development of the company but also to the greater South African wine industry, and has been an active Board member of the Franschhoek Wine Valley Tourism Association since its beginning, and after the company's invesments in the Swartland wine region, he has become a founding member of the Swartland Revolution and Swartland Independent Producers Association.

There is a keen interest shown in conserving the unique biodiversity of their surroundings, and so Boekenhoutskloof is removing invasive alien plants from the farm, and restoring the rensitive riverine area as well as re-introducing various protea species. The company is a founding member of the Franschhoek Mountain Conservancy which is an initiative to improve co-operation between neighbours, as well as improve fire management and fynbos conservation in the valley.

_{Country: South Africa | Region: Swartland | Alcohol: TBC | Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, Viognier}