Boekenhoutskloof

To pronounce the name of this winery without twisting your tongue requires a small effort: “Book-n-Howed”. But falling in love with its wines takes only a single sip. Founded in 1776, this historic estate lies in the most hidden and evocative corner of the beautiful Franschhoek Valley in South Africa. The name, literally meaning “the gorge of the Boekenhout”, pays tribute to a native tree once highly prized by local cabinetmakers for crafting fine furniture. The real rebirth of the winery, however, came in modern times, specifically in 1993, when a group of passionate wine lovers decided to take over the abandoned property and restore it to its former glory. This is where Marc Kent enters the story. Young and charismatic, Marc was not born with his hands in the soil. In fact, he was on the verge of becoming a pilot in the South African Air Force before profound geopolitical changes reshaped the course of his destiny. Turning the page, Marc decided to dedicate himself to his greatest passion: viticulture. He studied in Burgundy and Bordeaux, fell in love with the European style and returned home with a crystal-clear vision: to prove that South Africa could produce wines capable of competing with the world’s greatest icons. The Franschhoek Valley proved to be the perfect stage for this challenge. Embraced by the imposing Drakenstein Mountains, the area benefits from high altitudes and a cool, breezy climate, highly unusual for African averages. Here the terroir works in favour of elegance: free-draining soils and marked temperature variations allow the grapes to ripen slowly, concentrating intense aromas while never sacrificing freshness and acidity. Under the technical guidance of Marc Kent, Boekenhoutskloof has established itself as a true specialist in Syrah, a grape variety that finds remarkably expressive interpretations in these lands.