Boschendal, 'Vin d’Or Noble Late Harvest', 2024, Coastal Region (WO)

'One-Liner'
Lusciously sweet yet wonderfully fresh – tangerine, tropical fruit and honeysuckle wrapped in silky richness with a vibrant citrus finish.

Tasting Note
Deep golden in the glass, with an opulent nose of tangerine, apricot and tropical fruit layered with honeysuckle and honeyed citrus. The palate is rich and concentrated, with ripe peach, kumquat and marmalade-like fruit balanced by striking natural acidity. Botrytis brings extra depth and a gently honeyed, savoury complexity, while the small-barrel finish adds texture without burying the fruit. Despite its considerable sweetness, the wine remains remarkably fresh and never feels cloying. Long and beautifully balanced on the finish, with candied citrus, tropical fruit and orange zest lingering behind.

Country: South Africa
Region: Western Cape
Sub-Region: Coastal Region WO
Grape(s): 85% Viognier, 15% Riesling
ABV: 11.5%
Friendly: Sustainable

Awards & Critics' Scores
Tim Atkin, South Africa Special Report 2026 – 94/100
Decanter World Wine Awards 2026 – Gold
Veritas Awards 2025 – Gold
Mundus Vini 2025 – Gold

The Story
Vin d’Or is Boschendal’s richly concentrated take on noble late harvest wine, built around low-yielding Viognier and Riesling allowed an extended hang time so that Botrytis cinerea, noble rot, can naturally concentrate the berries. The shrivelled grapes are harvested by hand and taken whole to the press, where they spend three days in contact with the skins to extract flavour from the intensely concentrated fruit. Fermentation begins slowly in stainless steel before the wine is transferred to older barrels to finish naturally, leaving a substantial level of residual sweetness balanced by bright acidity. The result is a dessert wine with genuine richness, but also enough citrus energy to keep every mouthful fresh.

Perfect With... (click me for the recipe)
- Meat/fish: Duck liver parfait with caramelised apples and toasted brioche
- Vegetarian: Walnut tart
- Vegan: Vegan coconut rice pudding with mango and lime