Boekenhoutskloof was established in 1776. Located in the furthest corner of the beautiful Franschhoek valley, the farm’s name means “ravine of the Boekenhout” (pronounced Book-n-Howed). Boekenhout is an indigenous Cape Beech tree greatly prized for furniture making. In 1993 the farm and homestead was bought and restored and a new vineyard planting programme was established that now includes Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Semillon and Viognier.
Grapes for the Boekenhoutskloof Syrah are picked from select parcels of the finest Syrah grown at their Swartland farms, Porseleinberg (90%) and Goldmine (10%), close to the small town of Riebeek-Kasteel. The Porseleinberg vineyards are planted on an extremely hard and rocky bedrock of decomposed Mica-Schist; a unique ward-defining terroir within the appellation. The vineyards on Goldmine sit on the south-west slopes of the Kasteelberg and comprise of Brown Schist with deposits of Table Mountain sandstone, which is weathered and washed from the adjacent mountain. The delicate combination of these two properties allows for this expression of both concentrated and structured wines, made from this Rhône grape.
