Cape Port 2024

AA Badenhorst's Cape Port comes from the Swartland region, north of Cape Town, in South Africa's coastal area. The vines are planted on hillsides exposed to the cool winds from the Atlantic Ocean, which temper the hot, dry climate. The soils are primarily composed of decomposed granite and schist, offering good drainage and low vigor, ideal for concentrating the grapes. This robust terroir, typical of the Swartland, produces fortified wines that are generous, structured, and possess a beautiful natural freshness.

The grapes are hand-harvested from selected plots, then destemmed before maceration and fermentation in open vats, with regular pump-overs to extract color and structure. Fermentation is stopped by fortification with brandy to retain some of the natural sugars. The wine is then aged in old oak barrels for an extended period, allowing for slow oxygenation and the harmonization of aromas before bottling.

This wine reveals notes of candied black fruit , ripe plum , and dried fig , complemented by hints of sweet spice and pepper , as well as delicate floral accents reminiscent of violet. Cocoa and subtle oak nuances add complexity and depth. On the palate, the wine is full and velvety, supported by balanced sweetness, ample freshness, and smooth tannins, with a long and warm finish.

The first grape vines were planted in South Africa by Dutch settlers in the 1650s, although wine production did not really take off until the arrival of French Protestants in the 1680s with their skills and knowledge of viticulture. Stellenbosch is also a historic wine region, with the first vineyards being planted there in the 1690s. Today, South Africa is one of the most important wine producing countries in the Southern Hemisphere. With over 300 years of winemaking history, it is often described as a bridge between the Old and New Worlds. The majority of wines are produced using New World winemaking techniques, but they often share more in common stylistically with their Old World counterparts. Since the end of apartheid, South African wine has received international attention and acclaim for its wide variety of styles. South Africa's wine industry is spread across the lush and rugged landscape of the Western Cape. Here, the abundance of mountains, valleys and plateaus allows winemakers to produce a wide variety of styles. Vineyards are also found in the Orange River region of the Northern Cape, where the flat, arid landscape is dominated by the Kalahari Desert. Most of South Africa's wine regions have a Mediterranean climate, heavily influenced by the meeting of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The country's signature grape variety is Pinotage, an indigenous cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsault that is rarely found in quantity in other wine-producing countries. Shiraz (Syrah) is also widely planted, as are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (often combined in a Bordeaux blend). South African Chardonnay, Chenin and Sauvignon Blanc have become popular internationally in recent years.