De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve rated Best Fortified Wine in South Africa

De Krans Wine Cellar in Calitzdorp is without a doubt one of SA’s leading port producers.

Winemaker Louis van der Riet with the high scoring De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve Port

This statement was reaffirmed when two De Krans port-style wines scored 96 and 92 points in the long awaited annual review of South African wines, by revered UK authority Tim Atkin MW, which was published on 13 September. In this report Tim Atkin describes De Krans as a “brilliant fortified wine producer.” Atkin, a British Master of Wine and accomplished wine commentator with extensive experience of South African wines, tasted approximately 1 700 South African wines for his 2017 Special Report.

The De Krans 2015 Cape Vintage Reserve received an excellent rating of 96 points. It was also rated as the Best Overall Fortified Wine of the Year in South Africa, as well as the top scoring wine from the Klein Karoo region. The De Krans Cape Tawny Ltd Release received a score of 92 and the 2015 Tritonia Red, its flagship red blend made from Portuguese varieties, received a score of 91 points.

According to Atkin the De Krans 2015 Cape Vintage Reserve “is the the best young Port-style wine I’ve ever tasted from the Cape. Rich, dense and hedonistically perfumed, it’s dark, plush and very sweet, with beautifully judged tannins and rich bramble and blueberry fruit. Brilliant. Drink between 2025-40”. This wine has an aapproximate retail price of R320 per bottle.

The Cape Tawny Ltd Release is described by Atkin as a “figgy, sweet, rancio-style Tawny with an average age of eight years. Complex, flavoursome and mature, it has a winning interplay between residual sugar and alcohol. Drink between 2017-25”. The De Krans Cape Tawny Ltd Release already got a 4½ star rating in the 2017 Platter’s Wine Guide. This wine is available from most retail outlets nationwide at an approximate retail price of R195 per bottle.

A recipient of the Best Red Blend Trophy at the 2017 Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show, the flagship Tritonia Red Calitzdorp Blend 2015 is a dry red blend of Touriga Naçional, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barocca and Tinta Amarela. Winemaker Louis van der Riet describes the wine as having a ruby red colour, with complex flavours of violets, cloves and red fruit on the nose. It has a savoury and fine-grained structure, with lovely integrated wood and a delightful elegance on the palate. This is the perfect wine to enjoy with ostrich, venison dishes, as well as a roasted leg of lamb. Approximate retail price is R210 per bottle.

For more information on the impressive range of wines from De Krans, visit www.dekrans.co.za.

Pictures: SUPPLIED