This month marks twenty years since Paul Boutinot established Waterkloof. Of all its natural assets, the most notable for those lucky enough to have visited is a cooling and often ferocious wind ripping in from The Atlantic shoreline just two miles away.  

Such circumstances, allied to no shortage of graft, have led to a rate of progress that would blow most off their feet:

• One of South Africa’s first WWF Conservation Champions & Certified Organic Vineyards.
• Truly Sustainable & Regenerative (before they became buzzwords).
• Winner of GREAT WINE CAPITALS – ‘World’s Best Winery Architecture’.
• Named amongst ‘THE WORLD’S 100 BEST VINEYARDS’.
• Winner of EAT OUT’S ‘Best Restaurant in South Africa’.
• Countless Jancis Robinson ‘WINE OF THE WEEKS’, ‘GVs/VGVs’ (good value/very good value) and DECANTER ‘WEEKDAY WINES’. 

However, a red wine under the flagship Waterkloof label has not come so quickly. Yet in 2023, eighteen years after Waterkloof Sauvignon Blanc was first made, they finally introduced Waterkloof Syrah 2020. It didn’t disappoint, recently picking up an astronomical 97/100 from WINEMAG.

Such was the quality of the 2020 red grapes across the board, Nadia and Paul also trialled a blend from their best parcels of Bordeaux grape varieties (51% Cabernet Franc/25% Merlot/14% Petit Verdot/10% Cabernet Sauvignon). The result? Waterkloof’s vinous apogee, released in Paul’s 70^th vintage and named appropriately after the fiercest wind god and face of Waterkloof: BOREAS.

Like Waterkloof Sauvignon, it really has its own inimitable style, with gentle whispers from the classic areas. Whilst the sauvignon has been called the Pouilly Fumé of Stellenbosch, Waterkloof BOREAS reminds us of Bolgheri and with Tim Atkin MW already raving about the wine on Instagram during a recent pre-release tasting at Waterkloof, we might just start calling it the Sassicaia of Stellenbosch! Offering great enjoyment in its youth, especially once decanted for a few hours, Waterkloof BOREAS -like Paul- has plenty more to give and will surely develop in complexity over the next 10-15+ years.

Boreas lands in the UK next week, so keep your eyes peeled and make sure you add it to your next order…you’ll be glad you did!