"BLUE ROCKS"
The vineyards of Blaauwklippen roll over hills to the steep mountain slopes. These majestic mountains of Stellenbosch exude a gentle blue-ish hue, the fountainhead for the estate's name.
Blaauwklippen was one of the first farms to be awarded in Stellenbosch over 300 years ago. In 1682, Simon van der Stel granted 50 morgen of wilderness on the foothills of what is today Stellenbosch to Gerrit Visser, a potter from Germany. Soon, the densely forested virgin land rang with the sound of axes clearing the fields to plant the farm's first vines. Today, the estate resounds with the roar of bulldozers uprooting the old to make way for the new: all the while preserving the historic heritage with integrity in a wholesome and genuine atmosphere.
More than three centuries later, the farm is once more owned by Germans. The München based Schörghuber Corporate Group had a clear vision for Blaauwklippen in the world wine market when they acquired the estate in 1999. Their involvement with the farm has concentrated the future on production of premium red wines. Situated on prime west- and south-facing slopes of the Stellenbosch Mountain, Blaauwklippen's vineyards are blessed with exceptional soil and climatic conditions. This is red wine country par excellence, with remarkable altitude variation allowing for different styles of wine to be produced and natural blends to be created.
To achieve the metamorphosis to a predominantly red wine estate, a comprehensive analysis of the estate's soil and micro-climatic conditions was commissioned. This lead to the identification of vineyard sites most suited to the planting of specific red varieties, and in the process, the uprooting of a number of white vineyards. 80% of the estate's vineyards are red grape varieties.
Blaauwklippen's zinfandel, planted in the mid-1970s on approximately 26 acres, is neither trellised nor irrigated. The wine soon became the signature label for the estate, winning many awards and succeeding in Californian competitions. Characterized by deep, velvety red fruits, Blaauwklippen's zinfandel exudes gentle complexity with a dash of cranberry in the finish.
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BVS Zinfandel
Blaauwklippen Vineyard Select
A rich and concentrated version of Blaauwklippen's signature wine, the
BVS Zinfandel bursts a deep black cherry nose with whiffs of smoky
vanilla and scents of violets. A ripe fruit compôte on the palate
complemented by supple tannins and an intense, slightly sweet raspberry
and cranberry finish with doses of white pepper. Blaauwklippen Zin is
not an "in-your-face-zin", it is a Zin for food ... with a subtle and
complex character that provides the right balance and interest ... and
that intensifies throughout the meal.
The zinfandel grapes grow on bush vines (neither trellised nor
irrigated) and were planted in 1976 on the southern slopes of the
estate, which is in heart of Stellenbosch.
The grapes are
harvested at an average yield of 2.8 tons per acre. The wine is matured for 24 months in a
mixture of new and second-fill American white oak and French Nevers oak
barriques.
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Blaauwklippen Zinfandel 2005 fact sheet (pdf)
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Blaauwklippen Zinfandel 2005 shelf talker (pdf)
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