Boekenhoutskloof from Franschhoek
Located at the southern end of the Franschhoek Valley, this estate is one of the region's most traditional farms. Founded in 1776, its name roughly translates to "Valley of the Boekenhout Trees," referring to the native Cape Beech, whose wood was once prized for furniture making. In the 1990s, the historic farm was restored and significantly revitalized with a new vineyard program.
A central figure in this development is Marc Kent, Managing Partner and Technical Director of Boekenhoutskloof. Under his leadership, a portfolio emerged that now extends far beyond the original Franschhoek vineyards. Alongside the flagship Boekenhoutskloof range, the house includes The Chocolate Block, Porcupine Ridge and The Wolftrap. It also owns vineyards in the Swartland, including Porseleinberg and Goldmine, as well as further projects in other regions of the Western Cape.
Syrah holds a special place within the range. The current Boekenhoutskloof Syrah comes predominantly from Porseleinberg and to a smaller extent from Goldmine in the Swartland. At Porseleinberg, the vines grow on hard, weathered mica schist, while vineyards on the Kasteelberg are characterised by brown shale and sandstone inclusions. The wine combines dark berries, olives, earthy notes and spices with firm structure and is designated Wine of Origin Swartland.
In Franschhoek, by contrast, Boekenhoutskloof has an exceptional connection to old Sémillon vines. The 2023 Sémillon uses certified historic vineyards planted in 1902, 1936 and 1942. Two of these grow as unirrigated bush vines on clay-rich alluvial soils of the old Franschhoek riverbed, while the higher 1936 vineyard stands on weathered granite and quartz. A small proportion of historic Muscat d’Alexandrie complements the current wine.
Cabernet Sauvignon shows the estate's different origins particularly clearly. Franschhoek Cabernet Sauvignon combines grapes from a vineyard on alluvial land with estate-owned, organically certified parcels on weathered granite. Boekenhoutskloof also produces a Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon from vineyards on the Helderberg and in Vlottenburg. There, deeply weathered granite, Table Mountain sandstone and iron-rich Koffieklip meet cooling influences from False Bay.
The best-known wine of the estate is The Chocolate Block. The blend was first produced in 2002 and today is based primarily on Syrah. The 2023 vintage combines Syrah with Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and a small proportion of Viognier. The exact composition is adjusted each year to the conditions of the vintage. Since 2015, The Chocolate Block has carried the Wine of Origin Swartland designation, as a significant proportion of the grapes comes from the estate's own farms in the Swartland.
Boekenhoutskloof thus brings together different South African wine landscapes under a clear stylistic signature. Old vines in Franschhoek, Syrah on slate soils in the Swartland and Cabernet Sauvignon from Stellenbosch show that the estate is not limited to a single origin. At Vin Africa you will find both characterful single-site and origin-driven wines from Boekenhoutskloof as well as well-known blends such as The Chocolate Block.