Wine of the Month
Article by Sors Pretorius
B
eing a devoted red wine fan for many years, I
recently went through the latest news regarding awards received by local wines and noted
that BC (Brandvlei Cellars) Wines of origin
once again received a number of noteworthy awards
inclusive of the 2015 Vitis Vinifera Gold Awards and
Gold Wine Awards.
scribed the area around the hot water springs.
This attractive Wine Cellar can be found on the R43
road between Worcester and Villiersdorp in the beautiful Breede River Valley and is definitely worth a visit.
The vineyards are situated in an area where millions of
years ago, glacial activity, especially from the Karoo, left
rich geological deposits, which created the unique and
I couldn’t help to note that specifically the BC Shiraz
fertile soil types of the area. It also left interesting rocky
2014 was mentioned as a winner of both the above and
outcrops, known as the Dwyka formations, which
was particularly interested in the Gold Wine Awards
makes the surrounding hills stunningly beautiful!
which is a consumer judged competition that this year
Why wait? Try it for yourself!
evaluated wines under R80 per bottle and awards the
wines that are excellent value for money helping me,
the consumer, to make better buying decisions. Needless to say, I purchased myself a specimen at a very reasonable price and decided to give it a try. What a shot
of luck! Not only did I enjoy every sip but was fascinated by the quality, the smoothness and ripe fruit on the
nose leading to a spicy palate with some peppery notes
and rounded off with attractive whiffs of smokey oak.
I really regard this as a deserving quality Shiraz that may
be consumed on a daily basis without becoming boring.
I also noted that each bottle I acquired since the first
one, presented the same quality and craftsmanship and
is widely obtainable.
This Shiraz is furthermore great with grilled meat
(another passion of mine), veggies and beef stews and
in this capacity also serves as an excellent conversation
topic when sitting down to a meal with friends and
family.
Brandvlei Cellar, founded in 1955 was originally situated
next to the Brandvlei Dam. When the dam was enlarged
in 1974 the Cellar was relocated to its present location.
The name Brandvlei, originally Brandende Vlei, has dePhoto: http://diemersdal.co.za/gallery/