Boland Cellar … our pioneering future started 75 years ago!

Based in the beautiful town of Paarl, about 60 kms from Cape Town and at the very centre of the Boland Region in the Western Cape of South Africa, Boland Cellar has been a proud part of the South African wine industry for more than 75 years. Its captivating history dates back to the late 1930’s which were troubled years for wine farmers in the Western Cape. A group of wine farmers, working together since the late 1930’s, established Boland Cellar in October 1941.

Collaboration is at the core of everything of what Boland Cellar does and stands for. Several decades of shared experience and knowledge have brought Boland to where they are today: a relevant, family-owned company shaped through collaboration. They firmly believe that their international award-winning and exceptional wines are the result of a combined effort by farmer members, committed workers and suppliers, as well as nature and a bit of inspiration by a motivated team of winemakers, all working together to create something extraordinary.

Boland’s terroir advantages and winemaking
Boland Cellar has a distinct advantage over most of its fellow South African wineries.
The Cellar boasts great diversity in terroir that adds to their wines’ character and dedicated farmer members, who play an essential role in the quality of their wines. With the region’s five different climates, the Cellar produces wines that are delightfully diverse in their respective personalities. Parcels of grapes from these five climatic zones are masterfully blended to create wines of singular character and exceptional quality – an achievement made possible through the partnership between people and nature.

What started as a small winery in the 1940’s when it received its first grapes from 18 members, it is now a company with around 80 contracted growers producing about 24,000 tons of grapes. The contracted vineyards cover about 2,500 hectares in area from areas as disparate as Malmesbury, Durbanville and the Berg River Valley, covering five different climatic regions. This allows for regional expressions, a broader aspect of terroir and gives the dynamic and award-winning winemaking team opportunity to create wines of quality and character.
The Five Climates are:
Paardeberg and its surrounds. Named Paardeberg [Horse Mountain] for the herds of zebra, which once roamed there. Source of some fine Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc, and also Shiraz.
The Drakenstein Mountain slopes, which dominate the surroundings of the Paarl area, provide decomposed granite soils that produce lower yields. Exposed to predominating winds. Tough area in which to grow grapes, but the quality of grapes from this area is well documented.
The Berg River Valley that is made up mainly of alluvial soils provides fruity whites that are consistent year on year. And the Berg River that flows throughout the year provides irrigation water for the grape farmers.
The Swartland region which borders on the Paarl region – with aspects facing all points of the compass – with a variety of soil types, scarcity of water, creating lots of interest for the winemakers and wines of elegance from south-facing slopes.
The Coastal areas have the benefit of cooling breezes off the Benguela Current and mist at night which ameliorate the heat of the day and allow for longer hang time for the bunches and therefore greater colour and character in the resulting wines.

These different climatic regions not only give their name to a range of Boland Cellar Wines, but also provide the five white grape varieties used, namely Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Colombard and Viognier. The reds are Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Pinotage, Merlot and Mourvèdre.

Boland’s range of distinguished wines
Boland Cellar offers a diverse range of top-quality wines to suit all pockets and wine tastes.
The top Reserve range is a collection of special single variety wines chosen by the winemaking team as being exceptional expressions of the grape. . The Five Climates range gives expression to the different climatic regions in which producing farms find themselves.
The Sixty 40 range [a blend of 60% of one variety and 40% of another] offers a red, a white and a rosé. . The Cappupino Ccinotage pays homage to the coffee Pinotage, a style that is very popular and is currently the fastest growing wine in this category – and not without reason. It is a delicious wine popping with coffee and red berries and easy to drink. .The Flutterby range is a range of wines packed in PET bottles – which have great environmental benefits.

Boland’s Proud Awards Legacy
Boland Cellar has been awarded numerous South African and International Wine Awards and Trophies over more than 40 years. Chenin Blanc awards: Boland Cellar has been known for years for its excellent Chenin Blancs and in 2014 impressed at the SA Young Wine Show as national champions with their renowned Chenin Blanc. The winemaking team walked off with the coveted General Smuts Trophy for SA Champion Young Wine and the prestigious Les Tastevins Du Cap Trophy for the sixth time. This was the first time since the inauguration of the General Smuts Trophy in 1952 that a Chenin Blanc has been capped SA’s top wine, and it is the second time Boland Cellar won this prestigious award. In 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007 and 2009, Boland was also the national class winner and logged the most wins for a single cellar.

In 2015 Boland’s Chenin Blancs once again impressed globally. At the Michelangelo International Wine & Spirit Awards Boland’s Reserve No1 Chenin Blanc 2014 (unwooded) was crowned with DOUBLE GOLD and the Boland Reserve Reserve No 1 Chenin Blanc 2014 (wooded) received silver. At the prestigious International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) in London its Reserve No1 Chenin Blanc 2014 (wooded) shone bright with a GOLD medal.
Other recent awards: In addition to the above awards for its Chenin Blancs, Boland’s other wines also performed exceptionally in local and international competitions in 2015. Paarl Wine Challenge
▪ Boland’s Reserve No 1 Chardonnay 2014 (wooded) – GOLD Medal/TrophyWinner.
International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC)
▪ Boland Cellar Reserve No1 Chardonnay 2014 – SILVER
▪ Boland Cellar Reserve No1 Merlot 2012 – SILVER.
Grand International Mundus Vini Wine Awards
▪ Boland Cellar Reserve No 1 Shiraz 2013 – GOLD.
Michelangelo International Wine & Spirit Awards
▪ Boland Reserve No 1 Pinotage 2012 – GOLD
▪ Boland Reserve No 1 Shiraz 2013 – GOLD
▪ Boland Five Climates Sauvignon Blanc 2015 – GOLD.

Cellar Master Johan Joubert proudly commented. “All these 2015 and previous awards confirm that Boland is in a privileged position and geared for the global wine challenges of the future. Our ability to source grapes from our producers who farm on various soil types with micro and macro climates which often differ completely, gives us a competitive edge. I believe that this, combined with advanced and top class viticultural and vinicultural practices, enable our award-winning team of winemakers to craft wines of exceptional quality and achieve recognition at the highest level.”

Boland’s Cellar Master Johan Joubert
Many praises had been sung about Johan Joubert’s wine-crafting abilities on different global platforms. He has been donned with many words of praise for both his passion and his craftsmanship to produce amongst others exceptional Chenin Blanc. Wine-writers have used expressions such as Chenin Blanc ‘evangelist’ and Chenin Blanc ‘powerhouse’ to describe his abilities … all making this sincere and humble winemaker very shy.
But where did it all started? After attending the well-known Elsenburg Agricultural College near Stellenbosch in the Western Cape, he soon proved to be one of South Africa’s most promising young winemakers. Johan was the youngest winemaker to win the coveted General Smuts Trophy at the SA Young Wine Show.
To learn more about Johan’s career and achievements, please visit the Boland Website on … https://bolandcellar.co.za/blog/profile-of-johan-joubert-cellar-master-of-boland-cellar/