News
Boschendal Wines of South Africa Release First Reds in U.S.
09/15/04
Garden City, NY and Franschhoek, South Africa, September 15, 2004 – Boschendal wines, based in the Franschhoek Valley of South Africa, has released its first red wine selections in the U.S. The wines will be exclusively imported by “57 Main Street” Wine Co., a leading importer of South African wines and spirits based in Garden City, New York.
This is the first time Boschendal has made its red wines available in the U.S., all of which are new releases from award-winning winemaker J.C. Bekker. The winery, one of the best known in the Cape wine region for its award-winning reds, whites and sparkling wines, has released the following wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Lanoy (a Bordeaux-style blend), Merlot Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, and Shiraz Reserve. 
According to J.C. Bekker, Winemaker for Boschendal, “We have really focused on our vineyards and cellar to prepare for the release of our red wines. Boschendal is blessed with an ideal terroir, characterized by distinct microclimates that are well suited to the cultivation of the great noble red varieties. Our new red wine cellar is equipped with the latest technology to receive the grapes and vinify them under optimum conditions. As with all our wines, we aim for a true expression of the Boschendal terroir, and a style which combines the elegance of European winemaking, such as our Rhône-inspired Shiraz, with the distinct character of the South African Cape.”
Considerable investment in recent years has resulted in the creation of a magnificent red wine cellar fitted with the latest, state-of-the-art equipment for the gentlest handling of incoming grapes. The unique feature of this winery is the suspended fermentation tanks, which free up the work space below allowing the press simply to be driven under the tanks and the pommace released into it. Each tank has an individual temperature control, which can be pre-programmed such that multiple tanks can ferment several different varietals at their optimum fermentation temperatures simultaneously.
ABOUT BOSCHENDAL Boschendal is one of the oldest wine producers in the New World with a French viticultural heritage dating back to 1685. Situated in the Franschhoek Valley of South Africa’s Paarl district, the winery retains a strong sense of its Huguenot heritage while embracing innovation and advanced technology in its progressive approach to winemaking and viticulture. A significant portion of the estate is planted with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc varietals. Extensive new plantings of noble red varietals, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz, have positioned Boschendal to become one of South Africa's top red wine producers. Boschendal wines are exclusively imported by “57 Main Street” Wine Co., based in Garden City, New York.