Helderberg Winery started life as a cooperative but is today a Boekenhoutskloof property, acquired in 2009; and now months away from the completion of an extensive and impressive upgrade of the facility. The first harvest received at the cellar was in 1906, making it the very first cooperative in South Africa to process grapes and the oldest continuously producing former cooperative in the Cape. Since the first vintage of Boekenhoutskloof’s Stellenbosch cabernet sauvignon in 2014, Technical Director Marc Kent has always had the intention of launching a cabernet to sit at the apex of his cabernets, not dissimilar to the relationship between Porseleinberg syrah and Boekenhoutskloof syrah, and when he suggested that The Wine Society might partner with him, exclusively, on this project, we didn’t hesitate. On a misty Cape winter’s morning in the middle of July 2026, our South Africa buyer Victoria Mason MW joined Marc and his head winemaker, Gottfried Mocke, at the Boekenhoutskloof cellar to taste through approximately 70 barrel samples of Helderberg cabernet from the outstanding 2025 vintage. Victoria then selected and blended the inaugural Helderberg Winery cabernet sauvignon. There are so many elements of this partnership which resonate with us and make it something incredibly special: the fact the Helderberg Winery was once a cooperative, like The Society; the fact our en primeur offering marks the 120th anniversary of the cellar’s first vintage and also Marc’s thirtieth anniversary of winemaking; the fact that in 112 markets globally, Boekenhoutskloof chose us to collaborate with, as the exclusive launch partner! We are therefore delighted to bring you this world-first, 9-barrel blend. With a beautiful perfume of blackcurrant, red plum and mulberry fruit and spicy tobacco leaf, this is expressive and fragrant. There is a sweet plumpness to the black cherry fruit, which is accentuated by ageing in 100% new French oak, but the hedonistic character is tempered by a vivid freshness and a distinctive saline streak and stony minerality. This salty savouriness provides gorgeous balance and is derived from the barrels of cabernet from the most coastal sites of the Greater Helderberg area, which formed an important part of the final blend. The vintage’s signature ripe, silky-fine tannin profile carries the palate to a very long, dry, resonant finish. The balance and elegance here is just superb and we are so excited to present this exclusive wine to members. Drink from 2032 to 2050. 14%
