BOEKENHOUTSKLOOF The Chocolate Block 2023 DOUBLE MAGNUM (300cl)

Description

The Chocolate Block from Boekenhoutskloof is a highly praised South African blend, earning 93 points from Decanter and Tim Atkin, and 92 from James Suckling. Composed of 74% Syrah, 11% Grenache, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cinsault, and 1% Viognier, it offers savory aromas of crispy bacon, dried herbs, black and blue berries, and perfumed red cherry. On the palate, it’s expansive yet elegant, with silky dark fruit, bramble, black spices, and lively acidity. Aged in French barriques for 12-14 months, it delivers a harmonious, medium-bodied experience that is enjoyable now and promises further complexity. With over 4,000 barrels produced, it exemplifies Boekenhoutskloof’s mastery and is versatile, food-friendly, and highly approachable.

*****

The Boekenhoutskloof farm, first established in 1776, was purchased in 1993 by a group of seven investors led by Tim Rands, the founder of Vinimark, a large South African wine marketing and distribution company. Rands brought in Marc Kent as winemaker in 1996. Kent, just 26, had previously been on track to become a pilot in the South African Air Force (his only wine experience was as a waiter at the Black Marlin restaurant near Cape Point). Undeterred, he somehow managed to kick-off with a bang as the 1996 vintage received much acclaim. What could have been seen as beginner's luck was swiftly shown to be real skill with subsequent vintages, and now marks one of the benchmark South African wines. There aren’t many more sought after wines from South Africa than The Chocolate Block from Boekenhoutskloof.

DECANTER 93 points
Tasted by: Julie Sheppard (at Boekenhoutskloof Winery, South Africa, 22 Jan 2025) Part of Sweet like chocolate: Boekenhoutskloof and the creation of a South African icon
Drinking Window: 2025 - 2034
This top South African red blend consistently delivers. The 2023 vintage is 74 %Syrah, 11% Grenache, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cinsault and 1% Viognier, with 70% of the fruit sourced from Boekenhoutskloof’s Porseleinberg and Goldmine properties in Swartland. Savoury aromas of crispy bacon and an ashy, dried herb note sit alongside the bright black and blue berry fruit, with a perfumed hint of red cherry. The palate is very satisfying, with its savoury but silky dark fruit, with hints of red liquorice and bramble, all supported by supple tannins. Expansive but elegant, with lively acidity adding freshness. The long finish is laced with black spices and cherry. Aged in French barriques for 12-14 months; 4,043 barrels produced.

TIM ATKIN 93 points
Based on Syrah, with the rest of the blend made up of 11% Grenache, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cinsault and 1% Viognier, it's a seamless cuvée with fynbos, pepper and liquorice aromas, understated oak and flavours of blackberry, bramble and apricot skins. 2025-32

JAMES SUCKLING 92 points
This is wonderfully fragrant, with attractive notes of olive, mulberry and peppercorn. It’s juicy, medium- to full-bodied and very bright, with fine-grained tannins and a lively finish. 74% syrah, 11% grenache, 8% cabernet sauvignon, 6% cinsault and 1% viognier. Delicious already. Drink now.

VINOUS 91 points.
The 2023 The Chocolate Block, arguably the Cape’s most successful brand in terms of both quantity and quality, is a mixture of 70% estate fruit (mainly Porseleinberg) and 30% from partnership vineyards on reddish soils that have supplied fruit for 15 to 20 years. It matured for 12 to 14 months in 95% used barrique. Fruit picked after the rains was not included in the blend. The 2023 has a fresh nose with redcurrant and pomegranate fruit, earthy notes and a touch of tea leaf. The palate is a medium-bodied with crunchy red fruit and fine acidity, fresh and vibrant with brown spices and black pepper toward the finish. According to the label, production totalled 4,043 barrels in this vintage – it is some achievement to produce a label of such scale at this level of quality. The cape couldn’t ask for a better ambassador. - Neal Martin

THE WINE ADVOCATE 91 points
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
Drink Date: 2024 - 2030
With an ample 1.2 million bottles made, the Boekenhoutskloof 2023 Swartland The Chocolate Block is one of South Africa's most popular restaurant and retail wines. The blend is 74% Syrah, 11% Grenache, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cinsault and 1% co-fermented Viognier. Eighty percent of the grapes are farmed by the in-house team. No new oak is used except for the Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest sees neutral barrel. Proprietor Marc Kent says the wine is on its way to officially becoming organic. People underestimate the influence of the Cinsault, he says. It takes away from the roughness of the other grapes, and along with Grenache, creates a more perfumed style of wine. The Chocolate Block is its own brand, representing a fruit-forward, accessible and food-friendly red wine with medium-plus texture and pleasant softness.