From brandy barrels carried by ox-wagon more than a century ago to back-to-back national honours, Boplaas Family Vineyards’ long distilling tradition con-tinues to put Calitzdorp on the map.
The six-generation family business has once again claimed two of the biggest honours at the 2026 Michelangelo Wine & Spirits Awards, with its Boplaas 21 Year Old Potstill Brandy named Grand Prix of Spirits – Best Spirit at Show and winner of the Overall Brandy Trophy. The brandy also received a Platinum Medal.
It is the second consecutive year that Boplaas has won both the Grand Prix of Spirits and the Overall Brandy Trophy, a remarkable achievement in a competition that this year attracted more than 1 400 entries across its wine and spirits categories.
Only 20 Platinum Medals and three Grand Prix awards were presented.
For Boplaas, however, the latest achievement forms part of a story that began long before modern wine and spi-rits competitions.
The Nel family’s distilling history stretches back to 1880, when brandy produced in Calitzdorp was transported by ox-wagon to Worcester, sent by train to Cape Town harbour and shipped to England.
Private distilling later came to an end and the family’s copper potstill stood dormant for almost 70 years.
When legislation changed in 1989, Boplaas became, according to the estate’s history, the first South African estate to again receive a distilling licence. Five years later, the Boplaas 5 Year Potstill Brandy was released.
It would go on to form part of another piece of South African history when it was served at Nelson Mandela’s presidential inauguration banquet in 1994.
Today, the family’s distilling tradition is being carried forward by a sixth generation.
Daniel Nel heads the spirits side of the business, while Carel Nel oversees the farming and winemaking operations.
Margaux Nel is the winemaker and Rozanne Nel heads the farm’s marketing.
The family’s success at this year’s Michelangelo Awards extended well beyond the winning 21-year-old brandy.
The recently released Frans Malherbe 10 Year Old Brandy, a collaboration between Boplaas and Springbok prop Frans Malherbe, received Double Gold.
The Boplaas 12 Year Old Rum Cask Whisky also received Double Gold and was the highest-rated whisky at this year’s awards. Earlier this year, the same whisky was named Best South African Grain Whisky at the World Whiskies Awards in London.
The Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve 2016 and 2024 Hanepoot Block 1932 were also awarded Double Gold, while nine other Boplaas wines and spirits received Gold medals.
The Calitzdorp producer has also continued its strong showing in Port, having been named Tim Atkin’s Best Port of the Year for six consecutive years. This year it also won South African Champion Port at the National Young Wine Show and the Best Port Trophy at the Investec Trophy Wine Show.
For Daniel, the string of awards carries particular meaning because of the family history behind them.
“To win these awards once is an achievement. To continue winning across different categories and different competitions year after year is something the whole family is incredibly proud of,” he said.
Nearly a century and a half after the Nel family first sent its brandy from the Klein Karoo to England, the latest trophies bring the story back home to Calitzdorp, where the next generation continues a tradition that started in 1880.