Stellenbosch - Bottelary wines awarded at the Gilbert & Gaillard International Challenge

Ward

The Bottelary ward belongs to the Stellenbosch district, within the Coastal Region of the Western Cape, under South Africa's Wine of Origin system. It occupies the Bottelary Hills, a low range on the northwestern edge of Stellenbosch, between the settlements of Koelenhof and Kuils River, facing False Bay and Table Mountain across the Cape Flats. The soils are built on old, deeply weathered granite, with pockets of Table Mountain sandstone and Malmesbury shale. The climate ranks among the warmest and driest in the Stellenbosch district, though afternoon sea breezes off False Bay bring a cooling effect that tempers the summer heat. This relative aridity and the free-draining granite soils set Bottelary apart from the higher, cooler Simonsberg ground nearby. Red varieties dominate plantings, led by pinotage, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and shiraz, alongside a handful of old chenin blanc vineyards.

The wines of this appellation

Bottelary produces mainly full-bodied, structured red wines with the ripe fruit character typical of warm sites. Pinotage holds a historic place here: on the Bellevue farm in the Bottelary Hills, a wine made from this variety won the top trophy at the 1959 Cape Wine Show, before becoming, in 1961, the first wine ever sold under the name pinotage. These wines show a deep colour, aromas of ripe dark fruit, plum and blackberry, with smoky, leathery and sweet-spice notes, firm tannins and good weight. Cabernet sauvignon and shiraz, often blended with merlot, add tannic structure and notes of blackcurrant, black pepper and scrubland herbs. These wines age well and gain complexity after a few years in bottle. They pair readily with grilled red meats, game and matured cheeses.