Red Still Wine | South Africa | Swartland | 150cl
£54.95 / £329.70 case
ABV: 14%
Size: 150cl
Closure Type: Cork
Country: South Africa
Region: Swartland
Wine Style: Full Bodied
Grapes: Syrah/Shiraz, Grenache, Cinsault, Viognier
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.
91 points. Neal Martin - 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.
92 points James Suckling. 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.
93 points Tim Atkin MW.
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