Why it matters
The producer
Boland Cellar is the brand name of Boland Vineyard International Pty Ltd, a South African cooperative winery. This form of winery brings farmers together under a shared production operation. At Boland, collaboration sits at the center of winemaking and operations. Crazy Cat Red Blend is a separate brand under Boland ownership, while One Formation names a Grenache bottling and a white blend.
On June 17, 1941, nine farmers from the Paarl area formed a cooperative winery to continue their collaboration. The current range includes Crazy Cat Red Blend and One Formation wines.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Two geographic names carry different jobs. Paarl is the area associated with the farmers who founded the cooperative, while Coastal Region is the designation attached to Crazy Cat Red Blend. A regional wine designation covers a wider area than a village or a single parcel. The label pairs that broad place name with a blend of grape varieties.
In the cellar
Vineyards and cellar
Boland Cellar plants indigenous trees and bee friendly species such as wild radishes, dandelions and sunflowers between the vine rows. Flowering cover feeds bees, and the combination supports biodiversity around the vines.
Wines to know
The range in view
The named range covers Crazy Cat Red Blend alongside One Formation Grenache and One Formation Chenin/Sauvignon/Grenache Blanc. Crazy Cat is a generous red at 14% alcohol by volume. One Formation sets a Grenache name beside a white blend.
Crazy Cat Red Blend is fruity in the glass, with plum, forest raspberry and dark cherry at the center. Herbs and vanilla join the fruit on the palate, with oak barrel influence alongside them.