Awarding-winning Stellenbosch producer Kleine Zalze has been awarded five stars from the renowned Platter’s South African Wine Guide 2018. Having received this highest rating for its Cabernet Sauvignon in the past two consecutive editions of this renowned publication, Kleine Zalze has once again been bestowed 5-stars, this time for the Vineyard Selection 2015.
Cabernet Sauvignon is a variety that has consistently shown itself to be highly suited to the Kleine Zalze terroir. The latest accolade follows Platter five-star ratings for the Vineyard Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 in 2016 and the Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 in 2017.
“Cabernet Sauvignon has always been very important to us,” says Kleine Zalze owner and managing director Kobus Basson. “The consistent awards over the past 20 years demonstrate just how well-suited Stellenbosch and specifically Kleine Zalze are for the cultivation of Cabernet Sauvignon.”
In addition to this award, the following Kleine Zalze wines received 4½ stars, further cementing the high quality of the estate’s range:
- Vineyard Selection Chardonnay 2016
- Family Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2016
- Family Reserve Chenin Blanc 2016
- Family Reserve Shiraz 2013
- Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2013.
The hat-trick of 5-star ratings over 3 years is also of particular satisfaction to cellar master Alistair Rimmer and winemaker RJ Botha, whose recent vine re-planting proposals were a key driver of the farm’s greater investment in Cabernet Sauvignon.
Following an extensive analysis of vineyard blocks using state-of-the-art solar radiation and soil analysis to maximise the potential of the terroir, the viticulture team replanted 20 hectares of the estate’s prime vineyard sites. Specific clones of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon were selected for replanting, with a view to bolstering the flagship Family Reserve and premium Vineyard Selection offering.
The Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, a product of an exceptional vintage, is an outstanding example of the quality of Kleine Zalze wines, which are marked by a classical structure and complexity, matched by a vibrant flavour intensity. Aromas of black cherry, black plum and cigar-box on the bouquet lead to a rich palate of currant and cassis backed up by hints of cedar and oak with fine tannins and a lingering finish.
Kleine Zalze is a family owned winery situated in the heart of the Cape Winelands. Winemaking has taken place there on a small scale since 1695 but it was in 1996, when Kobus Basson purchased the property, that the modern Kleine Zalze was born. In 1996 the estate’s soils were scientifically mapped, evaluated and replanted according to their specific terroir characteristics and potential. Continuous investment over more than 20 years has seen the winery evolve into one of the most awarded in Stellenbosch.