His latest mission is to promote the making of serious red wines from port varieties in South Africa, a similarly new trend in Portugal. Margaux, a University of Stellenbosch viticulture and oenology graduate like her father, researched the potential of touriga naçional for quality red wine for her M.Sc. thesis.
Carel Nel was also one of the early pioneers of the southern Cape as a wine region in the late 1980s when he started making wines under the Ruiterbosch label from plantings on slopes of the Outeniqua mountains above Mossel Bay.
These included classic cool-climate varieties such as sauvignon blanc, riesling, and pinot noir, the latter taking him on research nips to Burgundy, France.
The Nels, constantly exploring new marketing opportunities, subsequently opened a tasting room and retail outlet in Mossel Bay (where they have a holiday home) to catch the Garden Route tourist trade.
The Ruiterbosch label was discontinued and later replaced by the Cool Bay brand, allowing them to make wine from grapes sourced from all the cool-climate areas in the Western Cape. Sauvignon blanc is an acclaimed specialty. As is a new shiraz, made by Margaux, which is causing great excitement around the Nel table.
Except in the eyes of Carel's feisty mom... Approaching her 90th birthday, white-haired and smiling, Ouma Roline drinks only Boplaas Sauvignon Blanc.
It's kept on tap for her, well chilled, for when she comes down from the big old house with the wraparound stoep on the hill above the cellar to braai with her only son and his family in their back garden on weekends.
Neither Carel nor wife Jeanne pretends to particularly enjoy spending time in the kitchen, beyond what needs to be done.
They have simple tastes and are quite happy to sit back and relax, letting the next generation step into the breach. But the half-drum on a custom-made wheeled frame outback is Carel's domain. His meat of choice: springbok or any kind of venison, and lamb chops, well-trimmed.
Pears poached in port with ice cream and almond flakes recipe by Carel Nel....
Springbok loin wrapped in prosciutto recipe by Carel Nel paired with Boplaas Ring of Rocks or Boplaas Cape Vintage....