Boekenhoutskloof, The Chocolate Block, 750ml

Boekenhoutskloof was established in 1776. Located in the furthest corner of the beautiful Franschhoek Valley, the farm’s name means “ravine of the Boekenhout” (pronounced Book-n-Howed). The Boekenhout is an indigenous Cape Beech tree greatly prized for furniture making. In 1993, the farm and homestead was bought and restored, and a new vineyard planting program was established that now includes Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Semillon, and Viognier. Today, Marc Kent is the owner, chief winemaker, and driving force behind the dynamic farm. A maverick spirit, Marc is unafraid to experiment with the unconventional, but his principal commitment is to quality on every level and in every detail. The Boekenhout is an indigenous Cape Beech tree greatly prized for making fine furniture. The Boekenhoutskloof label features seven chairs; amongst them the country-style split splat chair made in the neo-classical style with a shouldered top rail and the thonged seat from the late 18th century. Then there’s the Sandveld chair that has two back rails and a thonged seat which made its appearance in the second quarter of the 19th century. The transitional Tulbagh chair was made in the late 18th century; it has a plain back and a shaped top rail with half-round opening. The chairs on the wine labels all pay tribute to the skills of the 18th century craftsmen and their achievements in creating beauty from natural sources, just like the pursuit of fine winemaking. The Cape winelands are located in the Cape Floral Kingdom, one of six such plant kingdoms in the world. It is the smallest yet richest, home to some 9,600 plant species – more than are found in the entire northern hemisphere. This makes the Cape Floral Kingdom a World Heritage Site. In the interests of conserving this unique biodiversity, Boekenhoutskloof is removing invasive alien plants from the farm. Large parts of the mountain have already been cleared of pine and gum trees. Restoration of the sensitive riverine area, as well as the re-introduction of various protea species, is ongoing. A rare Erica called Erica lerouxiae has been identified on the property and is completely unique to Boekenhoutskloof and the neighboring farm, Haut Espoir. Boekenhoutskloof is a founding member of the Franschhoek Mountain Conservancy (together with Haut Espoir), an initiative to improve cooperation between neighbors, as well as to improve fire management and fynbos conservation in the valley. Boekenhoutskloof holds a certificate of sustainability from the Integrated Production of Wine and it’s Franschhoek vineyards are certified organic by Ceres.

• Swartland, Western Cape, South Africa
• Boekenhoutskloof is a founding member of the Franschhoek Mountain Conservancy, an initiative to improve cooperation and conservation and holds a certificate of sustainability from the IPW and it’s Franschhoek vineyards are certified organic by Ceres.
• Boekenhoutskloof (est. 1776) farm located in beautiful Franschhoek Valley. When the farm was founded, the Franschhoek Valley was far wilder than it is today – as the wolf trap that was once discovered. Today all wines are certified sustainable by IPW.
• The nose's dark fruit character follows through onto an exceptionally complex, juicy palate of ripe plums, violets, black olives, cloves, and licorice. The wine is medium-bodied, balanced with excellent, cocoa powdery tannins
• The perfect compliment to BBQ spareribs, braised beef, roast leg of lamb, seared tuna, and all types of veal.