The wide-ranging achievements, on a large scale, of this Wellington-based, family-based business make it a worthy winner of our Editor’s Award Winery of the Year 2024. The family has been involved in wine production for over two centuries – and this year celebrate 20 years of bottling it under their own label with great success. Not only have landholdings at home increased, there’s also a farm in Hemel-en-Aarde (see Bosman Hermanus listing). Recently, the focus has shifted to organic viticultural practices, with the Twyfeling and Optenhorst vineyards fully certified. A significant moment in ownership came in 2009, when more than a quarter of the overall business was ceded to employees through the Adama Workers Trust; this social investment has been extended with schools, housing, sports and education programmes. Bosman Adama is now the largest wine nursery in the country, and since 2014 includes the Ernita vine improvement programmes. In the winery, cellarmaster Corlea Fourie last year said a regretful farewell to winemaker Natasha Williams who’s landed a fine job at Hasher, but welcomed Maryke Botha.
Generation 8 range
Category: Cabernet sauvignon
Unpretentious, with honest cassis fruit, 2023’s gentle tannins & lush body promise everyday enjoyment. Range labelled Fairtrade in some markets. More
Wine tasted by Greg de Bruyn.
Generation 8 range
Category: Chenin blanc unwooded dry
Cheery & ripe, with impressive tropical fruit concentration, unoaked 2023 repeats winning formula: 1.5% sun-dried grapes, 3% skin contact, 5% grenache blanc, 3% viognier. More
Wine tasted by Greg de Bruyn.
Signature range
Category: Red blends, other
Blend tweak in 2017, cab, cinsaut & nero d’avola giving lighter body, more aromatic fragrance than 2016 (94 pts) pinotage blend. Lithe, with subtle savoury spice. 2 years oak, 30% new. More
Wine tasted by Greg de Bruyn.
Creative Space range
Category: Grenache blanc
Radical take on organic vines, 2020 3 weeks tank-fermented on skins with wild yeast, 9 months in older barrels. Rich & textured, with prominent tannins. For the initiated. More
Wine tasted by Greg de Bruyn.
Creative Space range
Category: Sparkling, Méthode cap classique, white, dry
Old-vine varietal chenin fruit shines through in 2021 cap classique sparkling, sunny notes of pineapple & peach lightly spiced by oak but not intruding. Primary ferment in barrel, sun-dried chenin in dosage, 12 months on lees in bottle. No 2020. More
Wine tasted by Greg de Bruyn.
Generation 8 range
Category: Merlot
Notable earthy-tarry focus, hints of leaf & solid black plum fruit on 2022. Weightier than siblings, satisfying tannin grip. 10% in new oak adds more spicy appeal than 2021 (3.5 stars, 85 pts). More
Wine tasted by Greg de Bruyn.
Nero range
Category: Nero d’Avola
SA’s 1st solo bottling. Latest 2020 typical of Sicilian variety: light body but supple & juicy, vibrant berries, hints of anise & maraschino. Cries out for tomato-based dishes. 18 months oak. More
Wine tasted by Greg de Bruyn.
Creative Space range
Category: Chenin blanc wooded, dry
Structured & linear, with great concentration & layered complexity, 2022 from 1952 dryland bushvines (4th oldest in Cape) exudes class & charm. Succulent stonefruit with notes of mulled honey, citrus zest & white nuts, all beautifully integrated. Wild yeast ferment in 50/50 concrete tank & older barrels. More
Wine tasted by Greg de Bruyn.
Adama range
Category: Red blends, shiraz/syrah-based
Supple, accomplished blend of 62% shiraz with 7 others, 2021 is sweet-spiced, ripe & rewarding. Appealing mix of red berries & stewed prunes, with lacework of tarry tobacco, vanilla & cured meat. Year in mostly seasoned oak, 20% American. WO W Cape. Both these Fairtrade. More
Wine tasted by Greg de Bruyn.
Generation 8 range
Category: Rosé dry
Early-harvested exclusively for rosé, 2022 cinsault charmer offers floral red-berry fruit rush, pleasant textured dry mouthfeel, modest 12.5% alc. Built for poolside refreshment. More
Wine tasted by Greg de Bruyn.
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