Gift box of 2024 Chocolate Block & Goldmine

The Chocolate Block & Goldmine Gift Box

Make their Christmas with a celebrated Cape red and its exciting white companion. This two-bottle gift box brings together 2024 The Chocolate Block and 2024 Goldmine White, both from Boekenhoutskloof, one of South Africa’s most admired producers. Considered the white counterpart to The Chocolate Block, Goldmine shares its flair for blending, generous flavour and beautifully judged complexity. Together, they make a thoughtful present for an established fan, a delicious discovery for an adventurous wine lover, or a particularly welcome thank-you to your festive hosts.

2024 The Chocolate Block, Boekenhoutskloof

Darkly seductive and generously flavoured, The Chocolate Block opens with blackberry, ripe plum and blueberry, lifted by floral perfume and cracked pepper. As it unfolds, savoury herbs, liquorice and cocoa bring depth to the fruit, with subtle woody spice adding warmth and definition. There is plenty of richness here, but also an aromatic freshness that keeps each layer distinct.

The palate is supple and rounded, its dark fruit carried by finely textured tannins and balancing acidity. A savoury thread runs through the middle, leading into a lingering finish of black fruit, spice and chocolate. Deliciously welcoming now, particularly with time in a decanter, it also has the structure for further development. This is a red for unhurried winter dinners, generous cooking and that second glass after the plates have been cleared.

2024 Goldmine White, Boekenhoutskloof

Expressive and quietly luxurious, Goldmine offers a different shade of the same blending expertise. Pear, quince and white peach mingle with citrus blossom, fresh herbs and a delicate suggestion of vanilla. With air, nectarine and orange peel emerge, followed by ginger and gentle baking spice, giving the bouquet both brightness and an inviting sense of depth.

Rounded yet lively, the palate combines succulent fruit with a finely textured, almost pithy grip. Fresh acidity carries its richness effortlessly, while a saline edge brings definition to the long, savoury finish. There is enough generosity to charm straight away and enough complexity to reward a little attention. A particularly appealing white for the festive table, it offers substance without heaviness and the promise of further development in bottle.

For when: You want a Christmas present that pairs a familiar favourite with a brilliant new discovery.

Pairs with: Enjoy Goldmine with roast turkey and chestnut stuffing, butter-roasted cod or a wild mushroom tart, and The Chocolate Block with rosemary-roasted lamb, slow-braised beef cheeks or mature farmhouse Cheddar.

Goldmine’s debut 2024 vintage makes this pairing especially fitting: a first opportunity to explore the white companion to an established South African favourite. The gift box contains one 75cl bottle of each wine, bringing together two complementary interpretations of Boekenhoutskloof’s talent for Cape blends.