“Good wine is made with good grapes, so everything starts in the vineyard.”
Boplaas’ winemaking heritage dates back to 1880. The first and only winemaker from the southern Cape to become a member of the CWG in 1988, Carel was also the first winemaker to distill a certified estate brandy. A viticulture and oenology graduate of Stellenbosch University and a Cape Wine Master, Carel focuses on producing award-winning table wines from Portuguese and French varieties, as well as port-style wines and brandy. As founding member and first chairman of the Cape Port Producers Association, he plays a major role in promoting the production and consumption of quality Cape port-style wines in South Africa. The proud Nel family legacy is continuing with Carel’s two daughters and son also pulling their weight in the family business – Margaux as winemaker, Rozanne responsible for marketing and Daniel for distilling fine spirits.
Carel is also a keen conservationist – 20 years ago he purchased 2 200 ha of pristine Karoo land densely populated it spekboom, to ensure that a piece of this unique habitat remains untouched for future generations.
55% Touriga Nacional, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Shiraz, 8% Tinta Barocca
Wine of Origin Western Cape
Tasting Notes: Bright garnet-red wine, black hedgerow fruits, tart cranberry, ripe plum notes, spice and fynbos. This wine only reveals its true underpinnings with time in the glass and tempts one to return for more.
Drink from 2029 onwards.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
100% Tinta Barocca
Wine of Origin Calitzdorp
Tasting Notes: Fiery red-brown tawny colour with flecks of olive green on the rim, the bouquet unfurls with walnut roast almonds, butterscotch, a melange of spices, citrus, warming brandy and charred oak notes.
Drink this wine now or keep for the next 100 years.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
90% Tinta Barocca, 10% Touriga Nacional
The Nel family of Boplaas have garnered a reputation of resolutely crafting benchmark fortified wines from traditional Portuguese varieties in the harshly beautiful Klein Karoo hamlet of Calitzdorp. Crafted from hand-harvested, gnarled, old-vine Portuguese varieties, fermented in traditional lagares, fortified with the finest Cape brandy and matured for 16 cold Klein Karoo winters in large old barrels. A once-rambunctious obsidian wine has transformed into a fiery amber elixir.
Tasting Notes: Fiery red-brown tawny colour with flecks of olive green on the rim, the bouquet unfurls with the walnut, roast almond, butterscotch, mélange of spices, citrus, warming brandy and charred oak notes.
Drink now and until 2052.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
60% Touriga Nacional, 20% Shiraz, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Tinta Barocca
In celebration of Oupa Danie’s folly of mistakenly planting Tinta Barocca in place of Shiraz, after his sojourn to the Swartland in the early 70s in an old Chevy El Camino, which set Boplaas on a path of crafting fine fortifieds and Portuguese table wines in the Cape. Blending the finest barrels of Tinta Barocca, Touriga Nacional, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz originating from low-yielding old vines and traditional vinification has created a fulsome, buxomly-fruited and age-worthy auction offering.
Tasting Notes: Bright garnet-red wine, black hedgerow fruits, tart cranberry, ripe plum notes, spice and fynbos. This wine only reveals its true underpinnings with time in the glass and tempts one to return for more.
Drink from 2028 onwards.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
85% Touriga Nacional, 10%Touriga Franca, 3% Souzão, 2% Tinta Barocca
Only the finest Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barocca and Souzão grapes were selected from specific low-yielding vineyards. All the fruit was hand-harvested at optimum ripeness, fermented and fortified in small lagares and barrel-matured in large seasoned oak barrels for 12 months to craft this distinctive full-bodied, complex and structured, dry-styled Cape Vintage Auction Reserve.
Tasting Notes: An inky black wine with hints of ripe apricot, dried peach, a mélange of mulling spice, fynbos, intense plum, black hedgerow fruit and liquorice. A long, lingering aftertaste with firm rich tannins.
Ready for drinking in 2028.
This wine is packed in a wooden box.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
53% Shiraz, 32% Touriga Franca, 9% Touriga Nacional, 6% Tinta Barocca
In celebration of Oupa Danie’s folly of mistakenly planting Tinta Barocca in place of Shiraz – after his sojourn to the Swartland in the early 70s in an old Chevy El Camino – which set Boplaas on a path of crafting fine fortifieds and Portuguese table wines in the Cape. Blending the finest barrels of Tinta Barocca, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Shiraz originating from low yielding old vines and traditionally vinified, has created a fulsome, buxomly-fruited and age-worthy auction offering.
Tasting Notes: Bright garnet-red wine, black hedgerow fruits, tart cranberry, ripe plum notes, spice and fynbos. This wine only reveals its true underpinnings with time in the glass and tempts one to return for more.
Drink now until 2027.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
80% Touriga Nacional, 10% Touriga Franca, 6% Souzão, 4% Tinta Barocca
Wine of Origin Western Cape 
Only the finest Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barocca and Souzão grapes were selected from specific low-yielding vineyards. All the fruit was hand harvested at optimum ripeness, fermented and fortified in small lagares and barrel matured in large seasoned oak barrels for 12 months to craft this distinctive full-bodied, complex and structured, dry-styled Cape Vintage Auction Reserve. 2015 was one of the best years for Cape Vintage production in the last 30 years.
Tasting Notes: An inky black wine with hints of ripe apricot, dried peach, a mélange of mulling spice, fynbos, intense plum, black hedgerow fruit and liquorice. A long, lingering aftertaste with firm rich tannins. 36 cases of this wine were previously sold on the 2018 CWG Auction.
Ready for drinking now and until 2045.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
Crafted from four old vine Portuguese varietals, hand harvested at optimal ripeness and fermented in lagars with intense manual pigeage to extract optimal avour, colour and tannins prior to forti cation with wine spirit and matured for two years in old, large format French oak barrels before bottling unfined and unfiltered.
Tasting Notes: A bouquet of crushed black berry, tart cranberry, kirsch and purple plums with bright allspice top notes, intermingled with fynbos and savoury undercurrents.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
The grapes are picked at 18°C with a high acidity (as in Cognac). Fermentation took place between 15 – 16°C. Fine aromas from Colombar. Left on the lees for malolactic fermentation before distillation for more complexity. Distilled in an old (100 year old) Santagans Copper still. Double distillation to 70% alcohol and aged in French oak barrels.
Tasting Notes: Climatic conditions of the Klein Karoo have created a brandy brimming with ripe stone fruits, honey, herbal and floral notes and a sublimely smooth mouthfeel and finish.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
Only the finest Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barocca and Souzão were selected by the winemaker from specific low-yielding vineyards. All the fruit was hand harvested at optimum ripeness, fermented and fortified in small lagares and barrel matured in large seasoned oak barrels for 12 months to craft this distinctive full-bodied, complex and structured, dry-styled Cape Vintage Auction Reserve. 2015 was one of the best years for Cape Vintage production in the last 30 years.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
Our angels’ share is very high, with the dry weather we have. The angels are very thirsty and every night they have a party in our brandy cellar – but this helps us produce rich brandies!
Winemaker: Carel Nel
Only the finest Tinta Barocca, Touriga Nacional and Souzão were selected by the winemaker from specific low-yielding vineyards. All the fruit was hand harvested at optimum ripeness, fermented and fortified in small lagares and barrel matured in large seasoned oak barrels for 12 months to craft this distinctive full-bodied, complex and structured dry-styled Cape Vintage Auction Reserve.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
In celebration of Oupa Danie’s folly of mistakenly planting Tinta Barocca in place of Shiraz – after his sojourn to the Swartland in the early 70s in an old Chevy El Camino – which set Boplaas on a path of crafting fine fortifieds and Portuguese table wines in the Cape. Blended from the very finest barrels of Tinta Barocca, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa and Shiraz originating from low yielding old vines and traditionally vinified, has created a fulsome, buxomly fruited and age-worthy auction offering.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
Honouring my family’s vinous heritage going back to my great, great grandmother Cloete from Constantia, who left the lush cool valley for the dry hinterland of the Klein Karoo in the mid-1800s. This maiden vintage straw wine was crafted from the most raisined sun dried bunches of Viognier, fermented in traditional lagars with manual pigeage to extract maximum flavour and aromatics. This complex bright gold straw wine will make an ideal accompaniment to traditional Cape Malay or aromatic Moroccan fare; or perhaps enjoyed with desserts, such as Peach Melba or a summer berry Pavlova. Best enjoy chilled and in good cheer.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
A brandy that my great-great grandfather, who exported to London in 1880, would have been proud of. Tasting Notes: Rich, golden colour. Lovely dried peach and vanilla flavours with a long, lingering finish.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
All the raisined bunches were hand harvested in the early morning hours. The bunches were then hand sorted and cold soaked for two days in open fermenters (lagars) prior to pressing. Fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks and maturation sur lie for three months prior to bottling. Tasting Notes: This rich, golden-coloured natural sweet dessert wine brims with exotic fruits, dried apricot, peach and melon with honeyed top notes.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
Only the finest Tinta Barocca, Touriga Nacional and Souzao are selected by the winemaker from specific low-yielding vineyards. All the fruit is hand harvested at optimum ripeness, fermented and fortified in small lagares, barrel matured in large seasoned oak barrels for 12 months to craft this distinctive full-bodied, complex and structured dry-styled Cape Vintage Auction Reserve. Tasting Notes: An inky black wine with hints of fiery garnet on the rim; while the bouquet slowly unfurls with ripe apricot, dried peach, a melange of mulling spices, fynbos, intense plum, black hedgerow fruits and hints of liquorice. Intense macerated black hedgerow fruits, sweet apricot, plum, vibrant allspice and cracked pepper combine with a lengthy finish with treacle, liquorice, fynbos and ‘meaty’ notes. The wine is still very primary, promising decades of enjoyment for those who can exercise patience.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
Boplaas’ distilling heritage dates back to 1880, when current owner, Carel Nel’s great-great grandfather, Daniel Nel, exported his first consignment of fine Boplaas Brandy to England. In those days they transported the barrels of brandy by ox wagon to Worcester and from there to Cape Town by train and then by ship to London. Boplaas also became the first cellar to release an Estate Brandy in 1994 after the change in legislation in 1989. Our angel’s share is very high with the dry weather we have. The angels are very thirsty and every night they have a party in our brandy cellar, but this helps us produce rich brandies. Tasting Notes: Rich, golden colour. Lovely dried peach and vanilla flavours with a long, lingering finish.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
Celebrating his 24th year as member of the CWG and his 24th consecutive wine on auction. Carel is a Cape Wine Master and founding member and chairman of the Cape Port Producers Association. His accolades include SA Champion Port and SA Champion Sauvignon Blanc. Many Veritas double golds and other award winning wines have been made under his watch and guidance. 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, and was the very first to plant high up in the Outeniqua with cold climate varietals. Tasting Notes: Crafted from a trio of hand-harvested Portuguese varietals fermented in custom built lagares with intensive manual pigeage; fortified with pure wine spirit at the optimal moment to capture varietal integrity; aged a year in large old French barrels prior to blending and bottling unfined unfiltered. Inky black crimson wine radiating ripe hedgerow fruit, plum, all-spice, fynbos and orange rind undertones encapsulated by impenetrable tannins ensuring decades of enjoyment.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barocca, Souzao Sheltered by the majestic Swartberg at the very edge of the Cape winelands, lies the Karoo hamlet of Calitzdorp, home to the Nel family of Boplaas since the early 1800’s. It is from fruit produced from these ancient Karoo soils that Carel Nel has for over a quarter of a century, toiled to produce the finest Cape Ports, wines and brandies. Tasting note: Darker than a moonless Karoo night, with a tinge of bright purple at the rim. Freshly tilled red earth, ripe apricot, fynbos, pepper, all-spice and a hint of spirit on the reluctant bouquet. Bullish tannins with hints of fresh plum, sweet apricots, all-spice, loads of liquorice and fynbos dominate the superbly structured palate. This Cape Vintage Reserve is the culmination of more than a quarter century?s Port making efforts of the Nel family to create an almost flawless Cape Port that will age for more than four decades or so, if stored optimally. In a word – SENSATIONAL!
Winemaker: Carel Nel
Colombar Potstill Brandy A decade of patience and unfaltering faith in his labour all that time ago, has rewarded Carel Nel with a potstill brandy of exceptional quality, complexity and concentration. Farmed in the deep red soils of Calitzdorp, the Colombar was double distilled in an old copper potstill in much the same way as the first Boplaas Brandy in 1880. Tasting note: Rich golden colour. The decade in old Limousin casks, climatic conditions of the Klein Karoo and the insatiable thirst of the local angels has created a brandy brimming with ripe stone fruits, honey, kumquat, herbal and floral notes and a sublimely smooth mouth-feel and finish.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
This auction reserve Port was made from low yielding (5t/ha) Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barocca and Souzao grapes. Hand selected full ripe bunches were picked, destemmed and punched down continuously for maximum colour and flavour extraction. Fortified at 11 degrees Balling and matured in old oak barrels for 1 year. Tasting note: Intense black colour, complex integrated flavours of violets, chocolate, black berry, dried fruit and fynbos. Soft ripe tannins, alcohol integrated with a lingering aftertaste.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
Winemaking Notes 100% Colombar, taken through double distillation and matured for 11 years in French Limousin barrels. Tasting Notes Rich, golden colour. Lovely dried peach and vanilla flavours with a long, lingering finish. A brandy that my great grandfather, who exported to London in 1880, would have been proud of.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
Tasting Notes: Made from low yield (5 tons/ha) Touriga Nacional and Tinta Barocca (36 year old) vines, this port has the potential to improve in the bottle for 15 years plus. Bottled unfiltered. Tasting Note Made in the tradition of classic reserve Ports from Boplaas, this is a classic vintage port with a lovely deep black colour, firm tannins, good balance between alcohol and sugar and a long aftertaste.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
This Reserve Cape Port was matured for 1 year in 500 litre Portuguese oak pipes and has the potential to mature in bottle for 20+ years. Tasting note: This is a dark, purple black Port with big ripe tannins and blackberry, violet, pepper & spice flavours. Frightfully good- Paul Symington, CEO of Graham’s, Dow’s and Warre.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
100% Colombar, taken through double distillation and matured for 11 years in French Limousin barrels. Tasting note: Rich, golden colour. Lovely dried peach and vanilla flavours with a long, lingering finish. A brandy that my great grandfather, who exported to London in 1880, would have been proud of.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
This blend of 75% Touriga Nacional, 20% Tinta Barocca and 5 % Souzo was matured for one year in 500 litre Portuguese oak pipes and has the potential to mature in the bottle for 20+ years. This was judged South Africa’s Champion Port at SANW 2005 Tasting Notes: This is a dark, purplish black port with big ripe tannins and blackberries, violets, pepper and spicy flavours. ‘Frightfully good’ – Paul Symington, CEO of Graham’s Dow’s and Warre’s
Winemaker: Carel Nel
100% Colombar, taken through double distillation and matured for 11 years in French Limousin barrels. Tasting Notes Rich, golden colour. Lovely dried peach and vanilla flavours with a long, lingering finish. A brandy that my great grandfather, who exported to London in 1880, would have been proud of.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
100% Colombar, taken through double distillation and matured for 10 years in French limousin barrels. Tasting Note: Rich, golden colour. Lovely dried peach and vanilla flavours with a long, lingering finish. A brandy that my great grandfather, who exported brandy to London in 1880 would have been proud of.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
This blend of 80 % Touriga Nacional and 20 % Tinta Barocca was matured for 2 years in 500 Litre Portugese oak pipes and has the potential to mature in the bottle for 20 + years. South African class winner at the SA Young Wine Show. Barrel Selection of Port that was rated as best SA Port in Wine Magazine 2006. This is a dark, purplish black Port with big ripe tannins and blackberries, violets, pepper and spicy flavours. ‘Frightfully good’ – Paul Symington, CEO of Graham’s, Dow’s, Warre’s.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
Made from low yield (5 tons/ha) Touriga Nacional and Tinta Barocca (36 year old) vines, this port has the potential to improve in the bottle for 15 years plus. Bottled unfiltered. Tasting Note: Made in the tradition of classic reserve Ports from Boplaas, this is a classic vintage port with a lovely deep black colour, firm tannins, good balance between alcohol and sugar and a long aftertaste.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
This is a single barrel selection (old port barrel) from the 1996 vintage. Double distilled from a base wine of Colombar. Distilled on the lees for more intense flavours. Tasting Note: Made in the classic Boplaas potstill brandy style, it shows complex flavours of dried peach, fynbos and oak maturation. Lovely golden colour due to the 9 years ageing in barrel. Enjoy as a liqueur brandy on its own after dinner.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
Made from low yielding Touriga Nacional and Tinta Barocca (36 year old vines), this wine is one of the finest Ports ever made at Boplaas. Bottled unfiltered in Portuguese Vintage port bottles. 30 cases of this wine were sold at the 2004 Auction. Tasting Note: Rated as the best port in South Africa by Wine Magazine in 2004, this classic vintage Port has a deep black colour, lovely ripe tannins, firm grip, excellent balance, beautiful richness. Can be aged for 15 years and longer.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
100% Colombar. The first 10-year-old brandy from Boplaas, from a single barrel selection. 20 cases of this brandy were sold on the 2003 auction. Tasting note: Lovely, coppery-yellow colour, as a result of ageing in limousine barrels for 10 years. Dried pear, peach and vanilla flavours. Alcohol well integrated. Ideal to drink as a liqueur brandy.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
65% Touriga Nacional, 25% Tinta Barocca And 10% Souzao. Rated as the best port in South Africa by wine magazine 2004. Maximum extraction from full ripe fruit picked at 26 degrees B; fortified with brandy spirits. Aged in 500 litre Portuguese oak barrels for 18 months. Tasting note: Dark black colour, intense berry, dried fruit and Christmas cake flavours. Alcohol well integrated, tannins firm but ripe, lingering aftertaste. Made in the drier Portuguese vintage port style.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
50% Touriga National, 30% Tinta Barocca, 20% Souzo – One of the best ports ever made at Boplaas, with 2001 being an exceptional year for port quality in Calitzdorp. Tasting note: Intense, dark black colour, velvety but firm tannins for ageing, not over sweet. Made in the drier Portuguese style. Lovely spicy, dried fruit and ripe berry flavours. Alcohol well integrated. Lingering aftertaste.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
Well matured wine form an excellent 1989 vintage. Ideal to drink now but can mature for another 10 years. 40 Cases of this wine were sold at the 1991 CWG Auction and 6 cases at the 2002 CWG Auction. Lovely tawny colour with nutty, rich dried fruit flavours. Sugar and acidity well-balanced. Lingering aftertaste.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
The alcohol and firm ripe tannins are well integrated with a rich fruitiness. Showing dried fruit, chocolate, black berries and cinnamon on the nose, this wine will age well for 25 years or more.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
Delicate cerise colour with rich Muscat spiciness. Not very tannic. Fruit kirsch flavours. Fine fragrant finish.
Winemaker: Carel Nel
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