Van Biljon

Polkadraai Hills Delivers Another Sensational Van Biljon Winery Release – Tasting the Cinq 2020 Cape Bordeaux Blend…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Last year I paid an excellent visit to see Chris Keet, the winemaker at the Van Biljon winery in Stellenbosch in the Polkadraai Hills, situated just behind the Raats Family Winery. I was fortunate enough to taste a selection of lovely back vintages including the Cinq maiden release Van Biljon as well as their yet unreleased 2021. But with their 2020 blend only hitting the market now, I thought I would take another look at this exciting new release from what was quite a complicated Cape vintage.

In general, it is always difficult to generalise about Polkadraai Hills vintages as so often they depart from the Stellenbosch norm with their cool, south facing vineyards overlooking False Bay, benefiting from cooling breezes off the cold Atlantic Ocean. In 2020, good winter rains in 2019 laid the foundation for a “good, solid” vintage. Fortunately, the grapes were harvested and in the cellar by the end of March before Covid-19 started a mad scurry in the wider Cape winelands. Overall, the growing season was moderate to cool with timely in-season rainfall which laid the foundations for yet another high-quality vintage. A beautifully composed wine, the Cinq 2020 draws on the best elements of each cultivar in the blend and delivers a really distinguished expression that must surely rank among the top Cape Bordeaux blend examples of the vintage. Known for its high scoring consistency, the Van Biljon Cinq is slowly becoming a Stellenbosch phenomenon, and 2020 looks to continue this trend.

Van Biljon Cinq 2020, WO Stellenbosch, 14% Abv.

The 2020 Cinq cuvee is a majestic blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Malbec. Aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, the wine shows an enticingly fragrant, lifted, exuberant aromatics marked with sweet violets, piquant cedar spice, wet tobacco leaf, black currant and pronounced graphite lead pencil nuances. Lifted and airy, the palate is intricate and multi-dimensional revealing an energetic, vivacious character with the most seductive fine grained velvety tannins, cool spicy black currant and black cherry fruit notes, and a most agreeably fulsome and harmoniously textured balance on the spicy finish. It is surely this wine’s classical balance, effortless intensity and elegant concentration that makes it yet another incredibly attractive Cape Bordeaux blend offering. Drink now to 2040+.

(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Van Biljon wines are available to trade in the UK from specialist importer Woodwinters, and to consumers from reputable merchants like Museum Wines.

Nearing a Decade of Brilliance with the Van Biljon Cinq Cape Bordeaux Blend Made by Chris Keet….

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

The Van Biljon boutique winery owned by Anton and Julia Van Biljon lies on a small farm situated in the Polkadraai Hills ward of the Stellenbosch region, neighbouring other highly esteemed producers such as Reyneke Wines, Raats Family Wines and De Toren Private Cellar. The region is well known for its deep, fertile and well drained decomposed granite soils and the moderating cool sea breezes that blow in off False Bay, lying directly to the South of the winery. Meticulous viticultural practices yield pristine grapes with intense colour, concentrated fruit flavours and firm structured tannins. 

The wines have been produced by Bordeaux Blend specialist winemaker Chris Keet since 2011 and during my recent trip to the Cape, I popped in to taste and was treated to a rare bottle of the maiden vintage alongside the current release 2019. Also, knowing my intense fascination with the atypical, cool, 2021 vintage conditions, I managed to persuade Anton van Biljon to dig a bottle out of storage to let me get a sneak peek at what could be Chris’s most accomplished Van Biljon Cinq cuvee to date. With plenty of chatter on the wines of Stellenbosch and specifically the stand apart premium styling of Polkadraai Hills wines in particular, I perhaps made a sturdy case for Van Biljon to include this designation on their front or back label in future, as all five components of fruit are only sourced strictly from the Polkadraai Hills Ward. 

With Chris Keet at the winery in July 2025.

As one of the few “single wine wineries” in the Cape, Van Biljon’s Cinq cuvee is definitely a wine classical Bordeaux lovers should seek out. Aside from its affordable pricing under £50 per bottle, the wine must also have one of the most consistent scoring track records in Stellenbosch, with the Cinq blend usually cracking the magical 95 point mark time and time again. 

Van Biljon Cinq 2011 Cape Bordeaux Blend, WO Stellenbosch, 14.5% Abv. 

The maiden 2011 Cinq is a blend of majority Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with supporting components of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. The wine is incredibly pure and spicy with a mineral integrity, showing layers of dried herbs, thyme, mint leaf, and wet stone minerality over black berries, black cherry and black plum notes. The palate is unbelievably energetic and fresh, vibrant and supremely classy, ageing incredibly well from a vintage that was taut, linear and possibly slightly understated on release. Still showing impressive palate depth, power and stony mineral graphite tannins that are maturing and resolving beautifully, coming together to make a very impressive blend. Drink now to 2030+.

(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Van Biljon Cinq 2019 Cape Bordeaux Blend, WO Stellenbosch, 14.5% Abv. 

The 2019 is a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot and 4% Malbec. 2019 was a more mixed vintage, cooler than 2018 but quite a muscular vintage making picking dates and extraction timings very important. There is incredible power and broody depth with aromatics full of black berry fruits, damson plums, black currant, white pepper and delicate bay leaf and sage herbal spice notes. The palate is fabulously polished, piercing and structured with a stony tannin frame, classical styling, and a finish kissed with mint leaf and chocolate peppermint crisp nuances. Really majestically power packed, compact and distinguished! Drink now to 2034+.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The micro Van Biljon Cinq production in the cellar.

Van Biljon Cinq 2021 Cape Bordeaux Blend, WO Stellenbosch, 14% Abv. 

On the eve of the Van Biljon Cinq 2020 release, I sat down with winemaker Chris Keet and persuaded him to allow me to also taste a very early pre-release sample of the 2021 Cinq blend. In keeping with this cooler, slower ripening year, the aromatics show a delicately fragrant perfume of violets and rose petals, sweet cedar, black cherry, saline creme de cassis and a pronounced undertone of graphite and granitic minerality. The oaking is already very well integrated allowing the cool, taut, linear black berry fruits to shine through on the palate. Delicately stony, this 2021 shows all the classical restraint and structure you’d expect from this cooler, slower ripening vintage, with a sinewy mid-palate tension and a tightly wound weightless concentration that seems certain to flesh out further ahead of its official release in perhaps 2026 or 2027. The Cinq 2021 is a wonderful representation of this unique Polkadraai Hills Stellenbosch vintage and definitely one to watch out for in future. I look forward to tasting this wine again on its official release. 

(Wine Safari Score: 94-96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Van Biljon wines are imported into the UK by Woodwinters. Contact: andrew@woodwinters.com

After Almost a Decade, I Finally Track Down and Taste The Mythical Van Biljon Cinq 2015 Release…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ 2 Comments

The Van Biljon boutique winery owned by Anton and Julia Van Biljon lies on a small farm situated in the Polkadraai Hills ward of the Stellenbosch region, neighbouring other highly esteemed producers such as Reyneke Wines, Raats Family Wines and De Toren Private Cellar. The region is well known for its deep, fertile and well drained decomposed granite soils and the moderating cool sea breezes that blow in off False Bay, lying directly to the South of the winery. Meticulous viticultural practices yield pristine grapes with intense colour, concentrated fruit flavours and firm structured tannins. 

I have been tasting and reviewing the impressive Van Biljon wines, made by famed winemaker Chris Keet, since the 2013 vintage. But the 2015 Cinq Blend always remained a blank spot in my tasting knowledge as the entire vintage had been rumoured to have been sold to a Gulf State airline for their first class menu after the wine received the coveted 5 Star Platters Award as well as the overall Platters Red Blend of the Year 2020  award in the Cape Bordeaux Blend category.

Tasting with winemaker Chris Keet at the Van Biljon cellar.

But finally, after almost 10 years since vintage, a small parcel of the famed 2015 vintage has arrived in the UK and I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek of this wine.

Vineyards just above the Van Biljon winery.

The 2015 vintage saw a mild start to the season evolve into a hot and dry ripening period in February and March. Judicious irrigation was implemented to try reduce stress levels in the vines and extend the overall ripening period. The cool daily sea breezes from the False Bay ocean played a pivotal role in maintaining lower stress levels in the vines, allowing top quality fruit to be harvest.

Van Biljon Cinq 2015, WO Stellenbosch, 15% Abv.

2.7g/l RS | 5.8g/l TA | 3.57pH

The 2015 Van Biljon Cinq is a classical Cape Bordeaux Blend consisting of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 17 Malbec, 12% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot. This is an incredibly famed vintage in the Cape for good reason, forging some of the most notable wines in South Africa’s modern vinous history. The aromatics speak of a ripe, opulent harvest revealing notes of black currant compote, freshly tilled earth, sweet baking herbs, black cherry preserve, sweet black chai tea, cherry tobacco and fresh tannery leather. In the glass, the wine slowly unfurls, layer upon layer, playing a slow seduction game with creamy crème de cassis, savoury black plum, bruleed coffee beans, hints of milk chocolate and condensed milk nuances. The texture is wonderfully fine grained and harmonious, yet equally substantial, showing dry chalky mineral tannins, a super fresh vitally, and a corresponding density and concentration commensurate with this highly acclaimed vintage. Ten years on, many in the Cape still consider the 2015 vintage without equal, and this majestic Cape Bordeaux Blend from Van Biljon simply adds further credence to this vintage’s legendary status. Drink now or cellar for a further 8 to 10+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Van Biljon Wines are imported exclusively into the UK by Wood Winters wine merchants. Contact: andrew@woodwinters.com

The End of the Cape Drought is Marked By the Release of An Exceptional Van Biljon Cinq 2018…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

The 2018 vintage in the Western Cape was certainly marked by one of the worst droughts on record and presented some significant challenges for all vine growers and winemakers. With water resources at an all time low and strict rationing in effect, reduced water availability for irrigation led to reduced vine vigour and reduced canopy sizes.

Some unseasonable rains and low temperatures in October and November disrupted fruit set and further reduced the number and size of berries on grape clusters. For many wineries, yields ended up being around -25% lower than the fairly generous 2017 crop, however, quality was high overall with intense inky colours, piercing concentration and striking fruit richness across cultivars.

Van Biljon Cinq Cape Bordeaux Blend 2018, WO Stellenbsoch, 14.5% Abv.

2.3g/l RS | 5.60g/l TA | 3.59pH

Always small and always boutique, this singular Cape Bordeaux blend Cinq from Van Biljon has always been about top quality as well as expressing the premium terroir of the Polkadraai Hills in Stellenbosch. The 2018 is a blend of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, 16% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot and 9% Malbec, all aged in French oak barrels for 18 months after fermentation. Following on from a very influential, high flying 2017 vintage, the challenge for winemaker Chris Keet and the Van Biljon team was always going to be about strict grape selection to allow the very best fruit to enter the production process. 2018 was a more challenging year but with most premium examples on the market already, the vintage has slowly but surely carved out its own niche among connoisseurs and consumers, with wines of generosity, intensity, acid structure, but also elegance and finesse that can be approached over the short to medium term. This Cabernet Sauvignon dominated wine is initially quite savoury, dark and broody on opening but within a short amount of time, starts to reveal lifted perfumed notes of earthy red flowers, violets, and pressed rose petals together with pure black currant, black plum and mulberry hints. There is that unmistakable earthy, peaty note of freshly tilled damp earth that is so typical of Stellenbosch Bordeaux blends, which lends a familiar, comforting charm. On the palate, the expression is one of elegance, sleek focus and freshness, with a soft seductive savoury mineral tannin vein, earthy red and black currant fruits, but also a silky finesse undoubtedly encouraged by the high Cabernet Franc component. This is a delightful expression that may well be more approachable now than either of the block buster 2015 or 2017 Cinq editions but is certainly a wine that will comfortably slumber and mature with benefit for another 10+ years in your cellar.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Van Biljon wines are imported into the UK by Woodwinters UK and retail for circa £48 per bottle from fine wine merchants.

Van Biljon Wines – The Undiscovered Fine Wine Gem in the Heart of the Polkadraai Hills of Stellenbosch…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

This beautiful small boutique farm is situated in the famed Polkadraai Hills region of Stellenbosch, sitting alongside famous neighbours like Reyneke Wines, Raats Family Wines and De Toren. While most of these excellent wines rose to fame for originating in Stellenbosch, more recently, as collectors and connoisseurs have started to scratch a little deeper into the finer details of the individual wards and terroirs of the region, the Polkadraai has risen to new heights of fame globally. Known for its deep fertile soils and well drained decomposed granitic soils and moderating sea breezes off the False Bay lying to the South, the terroir has formed a perfect home to the classic Bordeaux varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot.

As if the wonderful terroir wasn’t enough, the wines are made by one of the great winemakers of the Cape, Chris Keet, creator of the legendary Cordoba Crescendo 1995 Cape Bordeaux Red that lights up the Cape fine wine auction houses with big R8000+ prices (£400) when bottles occasionally come on the market for sale. Chris is a master with Bordeaux varieties and meticulously crafts an impressive Cape Bordeaux Blend using traditional winemaking techniques combined with modern technology to produce wines with intensity, concentration, balance and structure.

Tasting the Van Biljon 2017 and 2018 and the Keet First Verse 2018 Bordeaux blend with Chris Keet at the winery in March 2022.

I first became acquainted with the Van Biljon CINQ after tasting the 2013 vintage which I rated 93/100 back in October 2016. Subsequent vintages like the 2014 seemed to just get better and better, rating 94+/100 when tasted in October 2018. I sadly missed the epic 2015 vintage which sold out very quickly to an airline group I understand but was thrilled to taste the fabulous 2017 new release again when Julia Van Biljon was over in London recently. This is definitely a wine that flies under the fine wine radar but undoubtedly deserves to be far better know as it stands among the great Bordeaux Blends produced in the Western Cape winelands.

Van Biljon Wines CINQ 2017, WO Stellenbosch, 14.4% Abv.

2.3 g/l RS | 5.8 g/l TA | 3.5 pH

The 2017 CINQ is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot, 6% Malbec and 6% Petit Verdot and spent 18 months maturing in selected French oak barrels. This is a seductive and enticing Cape Bordeaux blend that utilises all five red Bordeaux varieties to great effect. On the nose there is initially a pronounced sweet cedar and sappy red fruited spiciness from the Cabernet Franc before notes of dried herbs, chai tea, black currant and dusty graphite come to the fore. The well-honed palate shows considerable elegance and harmony with a fine grained textural balance revealing layers of spicy red and black berry fruits, notes of cherry tobacco and a tart, tangy acidity on a long, weightlessly concentrated finish. Stony drying tannins lend a further air of seriousness, structure and age ability on the long sleek finish. An attractive offering that must rank among the finest releases from Chris Keet and the Van Biljon winery to date. Drink this from release or over the next 10 to 15+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

For stock availability, please contact Woodwinters UK for trade allocations.

Tasting the Superb Van Biljon Cinq 2014 Red Blend from Stellenbosch…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

The 2013 bottling of the Cinq was a triumphant wine for the vintage with Chris Keet spinning his magic within the context of a more difficult year that included a very late harvest and delivered one of the largest grape crops on record in South Africa. The 2014 vintage was another cooler year but also a much wetter year that some top producers managed to create more elegant European-styled wines with careful picking and fruit selection.

Van Biljon Cinq 2014, WO Stellenbosch, 14.5 Abv.

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot from vines grown on ancient decomposed granite soils of the Tarentaal Farm on the Polka Draai Road in Stellenbosch. The bouquet is effusive, building in the glass with great promise. There are gorgeously opulent notes of blueberry, blackberry and black cherry kirsch liquor interspersed with hedonistic notes of incense, cedar wood spice, vanilla pod and a subtle stony, graphite minerality. The palate is medium bodied and sleek showing a confident line of fresh linear acidity, very fine precise tannins and plenty of pithy, spicy crisp black fruit with nuances of sweet cherry tobacco, cassis and tart black currant. The precision on the wine is a true marvel with impressive balance, a certain amount of sensual elegance and an intense, pure finish that is superbly focused and finely polished. A wonderful red blend from some of the best terroir in the Cape wine lands. Drink this on release with food or hide it in your cellar for 6 to 8+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)