For Duckitt, the collection is the culmination of years of hard work and testimony to the estate’s ongoing commitment to Shiraz: “Shiraz is often under-appreciated. It’s an exceptional varietal that offers rich possibilities for experimentation and subtle layers of complexity. It’s also a special part of our history and something we hope to continue making for generations to come.”
The Black Angus is named in homage to Boschendal’s own ethically reared Angus cattle, and has a 66% Shiraz base, rounded off by Petit Verdot (12%), Cabernet Sauvignon (11%) and Cabernet Franc (11%). This is the original ‘estate blend’ of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon that Boschendal launched in the 1980s under the Grand Reserve label.
Duckitt added more complexity and intricacy to the blend with the addition of Petit Verdot for richness and the Cabernet Franc for style and sophistication (neither of which were available on the estate in the 1980s). This has add a rounded complexity to the wine. All four varieties were separately vinified, malolactic fermented and barrel matured for 18 months, before being blended and bottled in the new Boschendal Heritage Bottle in July 2016.
The wine, with each bottle also individually numbered, has a beautiful ruby colour, and first impression of berry and plum aromas layered with winter spice and roast cacao bean complexity. The entry is smooth and rich leading to sumptuous ripe mulberry, black cherry and cassis flavours etched with black pepper and oak spice on the palate. The finish is long and moreish, with tremendous texture and lingering fruit concentration. It is a taste immersion worth savouring, and returning to.
The Grande Syrah is made using premium grapes handpicked from a unique vineyard situated on the south-facing slopes of the Helderberg Mountains, and the wine was made with specially-selected Rhône-style yeast, and aged for 15 months. Each bottle of The Grande Syrah 2014 is individually numbered, with only 10 barrels of the wine produced in total.
“Boschendal has been a pioneer in South African wine-making for three centuries. We are proud of our roots as one of the country’s original estates and we are honouredto have remained relevant in local and international wine circles to this day. To celebrate all that is Boschendal and all that is premium South African wine-making, we have released some of our most exceptional wines in our journey to date,” said Boschendal’s Marketing Manager Shirley van Wyk.
Boschendal launches premium collection
Wine estate Boschendal marked Heritage Day 2017 with the unveiling of its new Heritage Collection: two limited edition reds which the estate describes as the pinnacle of its collection of premium wines
Image: Supplied
Both wines in the collection were tasted on 24 September at the Boschendal Long Table Feast on the sprawling historic estate established more than 330 years ago in the Drakenstein Valley near Franschhoek.
The release of the collection on Heritage Day is a nod from the estate both to its own history and to the history of the region.
The collection by Boschendal’s resident red winemaker Richard Duckitt, includes a limited edition Boschendal Grande Syrah 2014 and Black Angus 2014.
Boschendal reborn
For Duckitt, the collection is the culmination of years of hard work and testimony to the estate’s ongoing commitment to Shiraz: “Shiraz is often under-appreciated. It’s an exceptional varietal that offers rich possibilities for experimentation and subtle layers of complexity. It’s also a special part of our history and something we hope to continue making for generations to come.”
The Black Angus is named in homage to Boschendal’s own ethically reared Angus cattle, and has a 66% Shiraz base, rounded off by Petit Verdot (12%), Cabernet Sauvignon (11%) and Cabernet Franc (11%). This is the original ‘estate blend’ of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon that Boschendal launched in the 1980s under the Grand Reserve label.
Duckitt added more complexity and intricacy to the blend with the addition of Petit Verdot for richness and the Cabernet Franc for style and sophistication (neither of which were available on the estate in the 1980s). This has add a rounded complexity to the wine. All four varieties were separately vinified, malolactic fermented and barrel matured for 18 months, before being blended and bottled in the new Boschendal Heritage Bottle in July 2016.
The wine, with each bottle also individually numbered, has a beautiful ruby colour, and first impression of berry and plum aromas layered with winter spice and roast cacao bean complexity. The entry is smooth and rich leading to sumptuous ripe mulberry, black cherry and cassis flavours etched with black pepper and oak spice on the palate. The finish is long and moreish, with tremendous texture and lingering fruit concentration. It is a taste immersion worth savouring, and returning to.
The Grande Syrah is made using premium grapes handpicked from a unique vineyard situated on the south-facing slopes of the Helderberg Mountains, and the wine was made with specially-selected Rhône-style yeast, and aged for 15 months. Each bottle of The Grande Syrah 2014 is individually numbered, with only 10 barrels of the wine produced in total.
“Boschendal has been a pioneer in South African wine-making for three centuries. We are proud of our roots as one of the country’s original estates and we are honouredto have remained relevant in local and international wine circles to this day. To celebrate all that is Boschendal and all that is premium South African wine-making, we have released some of our most exceptional wines in our journey to date,” said Boschendal’s Marketing Manager Shirley van Wyk.