With the never-ending search for new and exciting cultivars in South Africa continuing unabated, presumably it was only a matter of time before the Cape’s vignerons discovered the versatile potential of Old Vine Colombard beyond acting merely as a suitable distillation grape. Being widely planted up the Weskus (West Coast), Ian Naude managed to source some of the most expressive Old Vine fruit planted in 1983 from vineyards near Vredendal. The rest, as they say, is history. 

Now releasing his fourth vintage of Langpad, meaning the ‘long road’, the 2023 from Ian Naude has had some extra time in bottle which is why, perhaps more so than any of the previous three releases, the Langpad bears a striking resemblance to Greece’s Assyrtiko wines with a pronounced phenolic minerality and maritime salinity… though perhaps more in the style of Nemea or mainland Greece’s Assyrtiko expressions rather than those from the volcanic island of Santorini. 

Naude Langpad Old Vine Colombard 2023, WO Cape West Coast, 11.5% Abv.

A vintage renown for its concentration and fruit intensity, the 2023 Langpad Old Vine Colombard is at first quite reticent on the nose, showing aromatics of crushed granite, white flowers, dried herbs, yellow citrus, and waxy yellow apples before more pronounced notes of maritime sea spray, dried kelp and oystershell emerge. The fleshy glycerol concentration is more evident on the palate, that’s cool, crisp, and resplendently pure and fresh with a mouthcoating tangy acidity and complex hints of honeydew melon, pithy green apple and quince jelly. Quite a phenolic and spicy expression of Colombard that finishes with a saline wet stone mineral austerity that makes this white perfect for food matching. Start drink now and over the next 3 to 5 years. 

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)