Swartland

Cape Winemakers Guild Auction 2026: Quick Reference Summary of the Wines’ Critical Scores…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

The 2026 Cape Winemakers Guild Auction returns to Brickfield Canvas in Cape Town on Friday, 2nd October and Saturday, 3rd October 2026, offering rare, small-batch wines crafted exclusively for the sale by South Africa’s most respected, peer-nominated winemakers. For over four decades, this auction has been the premier showcase of the country’s finest cellars, drawing serious collectors seeking exceptional, hard-to-find bottles. 

JD Pretorius (Warwick Estate) and David Sadie (David & Nadia), Guild members.

To bid, register a Bidder’s Account with Strauss & Co before Thursday, 1 October — one registration covers both sessions, with online, telephonic, and commission bidding available worldwide. Whether you attend in person or bid remotely, this is your chance to secure some exceptional South African wine history.

Gary Jordan, long time Guild member.

Auction Wines’ Critic Scores:

CE = Christian Eedes, Editor, Winemag.co.za (Tasted and Rated Sighted)

MF = Michael Fridjhon, Trophy Wine Show & Business Day (Tasted and Rated Blind)

GSMW = Greg Sherwood MW, A Fine Wine Safari (Tasted and Rated Sighted)

AA Badenhorst Akkerbos Grenache Blanc 2025, WO Swartland, 12.86% Abv.

94 CE | 87 MF | 94 GSMW

 

Ataraxia Echo of Earth Pinot Noir 2025, WO Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, 13.27% Abv.

93 CE | 91 MF | 93+ GSMW

 

Ataraxia Under The Gavel Chardonnay 2025, WO Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, 12.98% Abv.

93 CE | 93 MF | 93 GSMW

 

Bartho Eksteen Vloekskoot Sauvignon Blanc – Op Hout 2025, WO Cape South Coast, 13.78% Abv.

94 CE | 94 MF | 94+ GSMW

 

Beaumont Family Wines GG’s Single Vineyard Chenin Blanc 2025, WO Bot River, 12.33% Abv.

96 CE | 96 MF | 96 GSMW

 

Beaumont Family Wines Hope Single Vineyard Chenin Blanc 2025, WO Bot River, 12.07% Abv.

95 CE | 92 MF | 94+ GSMW

Gary Jordan tasting Abrie Beeslaar’s CWG wine.

Beeslaar CWG Pinotage 2024. WO Stellenbosch, 14.25% Abv.

96 CE | 92 MF | 96 GSMW

 

Boschkloof CWG Auction Epilogue Syrah 2024, WO Stellenbosch, 13.66% Abv.

98 CE | 94 MF | 97+ GSMW

 

Cederberg Black Slate Shiraz 2024, WO Cederberg, 13.66% Abv.

92 CE | 95 MF | 95 GSMW

 

David & Nadia Veiling Chenin Blanc 2025, WO Paardeberg, 11.85% Abv.

96 CE | 94 MF | 95 GSMW

 

David Finlayson Wines Sleepless Nights Grenache Noir 2024, WO Stellenbosch, 13.6% Abv.

91 CE | 89 MF | 92 GSMW

 

De Grendel Rietfontein Syrah 2023, WO Ceres Plateau, 13.74% Abv.

93 CE | 94 MF | 93+ GSMW

 

De Grendel West Side Merlot 2024, WO Cape Town, 14.58% Abv.

92 CE | 94 MF | 93 GSMW

 

De Trafford Cabernet Sauvignon 2024, WO Stellenbosch, 15.04% Abv.

91 CE | 93 MF | 93+ GSMW

 

De Trafford Chenin Blanc L17 2025, WO Stellenbosch

94 CE | 95 MF | 95 GSMW

 

Delaire Graff Estate Banghoek Cabernet Franc – Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, WO Banghoek, Stellenbosch, 14.71% Abv.

95 CE | 97 MF | 94 GSMW

 

Dewaldt Heyns Family Wines Saailand Shiraz 2024, 14.11% Abv.

92 CE | 92 MF | 93 GSMW

Erika Obermeyer Wines Auction Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, WO Stellenbosch, 14.5% Abv.

94 CE | 94 MF | 94 GSMW

 

Erika Obermeyer Wines Silver Linings 2023, WO Coastal, 14.72% Abv.

91 CE | 93 MF | 94 GSMW

65% Syrah, 17% Grenache Noir, 12% Cinsault, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. 

 

Ernie Els CWG 2023, WO Stellenbosch, 14.23% Abv.

94 CE | 92 MF | 94 GSMW

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Shiraz, 10% Cinsault. 

 

Frans K. Smit Sentinel Red 2022, WO Stellenbosch, 14.5% Abv.

94 CE | 92 MF | 94 GSMW

66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot. 

 

Frans K. Smit Sentinel White 2025, WO Coastal, 13.01% Abv.

93 CE | 95 MF | 94 GSMW

Gary Jordan presenting the Hamilton Russell CWG Chardonnay.

Hamilton Russell Vineyards CWG Chardonnay 2025, WO Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, 13.01% Abv. 

94 CE | 95 MF | 95 GSMW

 

Jordan CWG Chardonnay 2025, WO Stellenbosch, 12.73% Abv.

92 CE | 90 MF | 94+ GSMW

 

Jordan Sophia 2024, WO Stellenbosch, 14.2% Abv.

93 CE | 95 MF | 95 GSMW

64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Petit Verdot

 

Kaapzicht The Auction 1947 Chenin Blanc 2025, Bottelary, Stellenbosch, 13.38% Abv.

94 CE | 94 MF | 94 GSMW

 

Keermont Vineyards Where Mountains Meet 2023, WO Stellenbosch, 14.17% Abv.

93 CE | 94 MF | 94 GSMW

40% Cabernet Franc, 40% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Kershaw Wines Vertiginous Pinot Noir 2024, WO Elgin, 13.26% Abv.

94 CE | 95 MF | 94 GSMW

 

Kershaw Wines Ziggurat Chardonnay 2025, WO Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, 13.34% Abv.

95 CE | 96 MF | 97 GSMW

 

Le Riche CWG Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, WO Stellenbosch, 14.25% Abv.

94 CE | 93 MF | 95 GSMW

 

Leeu Passant Hillside Cabernet Franc 2023, WO Franschhoek, 14.57% Abv.

93 CE | 91 MF | 94 GSMW

 

Lismore Child of Venus Viognier 2025, WO Greyton, 13.56% Abv.

95 CE | 92 MF | 96+ GSMW

Lismore’s Samantha O’Keefe with critic Neal Martin from Vinous.com

Lismore The Sheltering Sky Syrah 2024, WO Elgin, 13.01% Abv.

96 CE | 90 MF | 96 GSMW

 

Luddite Glorious Confusion 2025, WO Bot River, 12.72% Abv.

95 CE | 94 MF | 95 GSMW

A field blend white wine. 

 

Miles Mossop Wines Maximillian 2023, WO Stellenbosch, 14.38% Abv.

95 CE | 95 MF | 95+ GSMW

100% Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Tasting Andrea Mullineux’s “The Gris” Semillon.

Mullineux “The Gris” Old Vines Sémillon 2025, WO Paardeberg, 14.04% Abv.

97 CE | 97 MF | 97 GSMW

 

Neil Ellis Wines CWG MIS À NU 2022, WO Jonkershoek, Stellenbosch, 13.96% Abv.

96 CE | 91 MF | 93 GSMW

100% unoaked Cabernet Sauvignon. 

 

Neil Ellis Wines Knight in White Satin NV, WO Bottelary, Stellenbosch, 14.5% Abv.

92 CE | 92 MF | 92+ GSMW

100% Tempranillo. 

Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Sandford Chardonnay 2024, WO Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, 14.04% Abv.

95 CE | 92 MF | 96 GSMW

 

Paul Clüver Wines Auction Selection Pinot Noir 2025, WO Elgin, 13.84% Abv.

93 CE | 93 MF | 94GSMW


Paul Clüver Wines The Wagon Trail Chardonnay 2025, WO Elgin, 12.84% Abv.

96 CE | 93 MF | 93+ GSMW

 

Pieter Ferreira Cap Classique Blanc de Noirs Pinot Noir MCC 2019, WO Western Cape, 11.7% Abv.

95 CE | 91 MF | 95 GSMW

100% Pinot Noir

 

Raats Family Wines Fountain Terroir Specific Chenin Blanc 2025, WO Polkadraai Hills, Stellenbosch, 12.03% Abv.

95 CE | 91 MF | 97 GSMW

 

Raats Family Wines Stella Nova Cabernet Franc 2022, WO Polkadraai Hills, Stellenbosch, 13.5% Abv.

95 CE | 94 MF | 95 GSMW

Rall Wines Noa Syrah 2024, WO Swartland, 13.5% Abv.

99 CE | 92 MF | 97+ GSMW

 

Rock of Eye CWG Auction Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, WO Stellenbosch, 13.5% Abv.

93 CE | 96 MF | 94 GSMW

 

Savage Wines Auction Syrah 2024, WO Stellenbosch, 13.6% Abv.

97 CE | 97 MF | 97 GSMW

 

Silverthorn Crazy Diamond Brut Nature Cap Classique 2021, WO Robertson, 11.34% Abv.

94 CE | 94 MF | 95 GSMW

85% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Noir. 

 

Solo Wines by Carl Schultz CWG Auction Merlot 2023, WO Stellenbosch, 14.41% Abv.

94 CE | 92 MF | 95 GSMW

100% Merlot. 

Storm Wines Bokkeveld Shale Chardonnay 2024, WO Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, 12.77% Abv.

98 CE | 87 MF | 97 GSMW

 

Storm Wines Bokkeveld Shale Pinot Noir 2024, WO Heme-en-Aade Ridge, 14.26% Abv.

96 CE | 89 MF | 95 GSMW

 

Strydom Family Wines Paradigm 2023, WO Stellenbosch, 14.2% Abv.

93 CE | 93 MF | 93 GSMW

50% Cabernet Franc, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 5% Malbec. 

 

Survivor CWG Pinotage 2023, WO Swartland, 14.44% Abv.

91 CE | 93 MF | 95 GSMW

 

Survivor Tarras Doas Cabernet Franc 2023, WO Tradouw, 14.8% Abv.

94 CE | 93 MF | 92 GSMW

Thorne & Daughters Sand Castles 2025, WO Olifantsrivier & Paardeberg, 14.2% Abv.

96 CE | 92 MF | 95+ GSMW

50% Sauvignon Blanc and 50% Semillon. 

 

Van Loggerenberg CWG Auction Chenin Blanc 2025, WO Piekenierskloof, 13.24% Abv.

97 CE | 90 MF | 96+ GSMW

Van Loggerenberg CWG Auction Syrah 2025, WO Polkadraai Hills, Stellenbosch, 13.61% Abv.

96 CE | 96 MF | 97 GSMW

 

Warwick Auction Cabernet Franc – Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, WO Simonsberg, Stellenbosch, 14/5% Abv.

94 CE | 93 MF | 95 GSMW

 

Auction Registration Details:

The auction takes place on Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd of October at Strauss & Co, Brickfield Canvas, Cape Town, with online bidding also available. For tickets, bidding registration and more information, see:

www.capewinemakersguild.com

info@capewinemakersguild.com

Tel: +27 (21) 852 0408

Two Exceptional 2024 Vintage Swartland Whites From Jasper Wickens Shine On Release…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Jasper Wickens is one of the Swartland’s most exciting young winemakers. He began working with Adi Badenhorst in the Paardeberg in 2009, then left after the 2018 harvest to focus on his own Swerwer range, founded in 2012, from the converted cellar on his Waterval farm next door. The farm’s vineyards are grown on deep decomposed Granite soils, and that terroir most definitely runs through his wines, with Jasper’s Swerwer Chenin Blanc a fine benchmark example. Even more compelling is his Wolwekop Old Vine Semillon coming from a single vineyard planted in 1963, which delivers vintage after vintage, intense, focused, fresh whites that rival the best South Africa produces. The 2021 earned an admirable 97/100 from A Fine Wine Safari. 

This is where old-vine viticulture proves its worth. Vines that have spent decades in the meagre Granite soils send their roots deep, yielding modestly and delivering fruit with an intense natural concentration, balance and a depth of flavour that stays vibrantly fresh rather than heavy. These are wines shaped by their vineyards’ terroir, made with a light minimalist hand but also built to age.

JC Wickens Swerver Chenin Blanc 2024, WO Swartland, 13% Abv. 

With so many 2025 wines coming on to the market already, this merely serves to differentiate the 2024 vintage Swartland wines all the more, after the region saw a beautifully wet, rain soaked winter to top up the ground water reserves. This Chenin Blanc from Jasper carries all the archetypal 2024 characteristics with a cool, linear, crystalline aromatics layered with white peach, dusty straw bales, yellow apples and delicate Granitic mineral nuances. The palate is incredibly pure, crystalline and precise, the texture steely, bright, and fresh with an underlying purity and clarity. This is Jasper making a very precise wine, elegant, linear and beautifully delicious. Medium bodied but very light on its feet, fresh, energetic and mouth watering, this wine will make a lot of new friends. Real class. Drink now to 2034+.

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

JC Wickens Wolwekop Old Vine Single Vineyard Semillon 2024, WO Swartland, 12% Abv. 

It’s hard not to get seduced by old vine wines but this 2024 Semillon made from vines planted in 1963 is simply another stunner. The aromatics are packed with orange and lemon citrus oil, white peaches, wet straw, and delicately leesy biscuit nuances. The palate shows massive concentration along side soft, supple acids, a delicious biscuity, mealy complexity and notes of lemon pith, finishing with a tangy, mineral laden Granitic finish. More accessible than some vintages, but showing beautiful complexity. Buy this to drink now and over the next 5-8+ years. 

(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The JC Wickens wines are imported exclusively into the UK by Museum Wines.

An Impressive Selection of Wines Released by Duncan Savage for the Majestic 2025 Vintage…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Duncan Savage has developed a reputation for his elegant, pure, age worthy and thrilling red and white wines produced in his urban cellar in Salt River, Cape Town. Duncan spent 14 years cutting his teeth as winemaker at Cape Point Vineyards, creating saline Sauvignon Blancs and grapefruit-laden Semillons from the cool coastal sites of Noordhoek. In 2011 he produced his first Savage red vintage under his own label followed by his first Savage White Blend in 2012. Working with coastal and high-elevation single sites across the Western Cape, Duncan has always followed a simple mantra: “do as little as possible, as much as you can” to preserve the purest expression of place. 

Over a decade of producing premium quality wines have now made Duncan’s wines some of the most sought-after in South Africa… but also some of the most reasonably priced fine wines. I recently caught up with Duncan in May 2026 in London to taste through his new 2025s pre-release, and then again in August in Cape Town over dinner at Aubergine Restaurant, to catch up on all his latest developments.

Duncan Savage Salt River Sauvignon Blanc 2025, 13.5% Abv.

Made from three Sauvignon Blanc parcels, but soon to be four, this 2025 is a delicious expression with rich layers of white citrus, yellow grapefruit and Cape gooseberry with back grown aromatic hints of cut grass and Granitic mineral spice. Intense, concentrated and beautifully harmonious. This is very classy and one of his best Salt River Sauvignons to date. Drink now to 2032+.

(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Savage Wines Savage White Blend 2025, 13.5% Abv.

The 2025 blend is 71% Sauvignon Blanc, 29% Semillon from the Overberg, Stellenbosch and Villiersdorp, matured for 11 months in 500 litre barrels, of which 20% was new, together with some concrete eggs. The wine is bold and aromatic with exotic notes of white peaches, nectarine, lime peel and lemon grass spice. The palate is plush, textured and concentrated with a bright tangy acidity and a real breadth and depth of flavour. Beautifully complex and generous. Drink now to 2036+.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Savage Wines Never Been Asked to Dance 2025, WO Paarl, 13.5% Abv.

A wine that has fast developed into one of Duncan’s most sought after wines. Now that he has won the battles against the birds stealing all the fruit, this Paarl vineyard planted in 1956 is delivering some incredible fruit that is fermented and aged for 10 months in 600 litre barrels. The aromatics show a certain savoury mineral depth alongside notes of Granite, dried hay, white citrus, pear and white peach. A Chenin Blanc with great concentration, lovely purity and a real crystalline tangy brightness. Superb as always. Drink now to 2036+.

(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Savage Wines Follow the Line 2025, WO Darling, 12.7% Abv.

Always one of South Africa’s leading premium Cinsaults, the 2025 contains 93% Cinsault and 7% Syrah from Darling, both 50% whole bunch fermented and matured for 12 months in foudre and amphora. The aromatics are taut and focused, showing plenty of Granitic mineral spice before sleek, cool notes of cranberries and wild strawberries with a suggestion of garrigue spice. Plenty of linear tension and precision of a laser-like focused palate. Impressively serious. Drink now to 2036+.

(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Duncan pouring his 2025 releases in London.

Savage Wines Thief in the Night Grenache 2025, WO Piekenierskloof, 14% Abv.

Made from grapes from Piekenierskloof, the 2025 expression includes a 4% splash of Cinsault with 10% being whole bunch fermented before being aged for 10 months in concrete eggs and used 500 litre barrels. The aromatics are delicately earthy and savoury, understated even, before notes of red berries and strawberries, fynbos and Granitic mineral spice. The mouthfeel is plush but very elegant, exotically spicy with a medium bodied weight, finishing with drying, polished mineral tannins. Drink now to 2034+.

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

Savage Wines Girl Next Door Syrah 2025, WO Cape Town, 13.5% Abv.

Made from two Syrah vineyards on the Cape Peninsula, one being in Fish Hoek and the other in Noordhoek, both being matured for 10 months in older 500 litre old barrels. The aromatics are initially very dramatic and deep, showing hints of violets, garrigue, woodsmoke, tar and wood embers before a subtle medley of red and black berry fruits and a sappy peppery spice. The palate shows a broody depth and intensity, structured but elegant, packing plenty of power and poise with a well-integrated vein of acidity. An eye catching wine as usual. Drink now to 2036+.

(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Savage Wines Are We There Yet 2025, WO Malgas, 13.5% Abv.

The blend for the 2025 Malgas red is 56% Touriga Nacional and 44% Syrah with a 10% portion being whole bunch fermented. The aromatics show a subtle perfume of violets, dried herbs and tilled earth with red and black berry fruits in support. The palate is initially quite tight and broody with a pronounced stony, mineral focus and precision before a more plush, rich, exotic fruit complexity follows on the palate. Always structured and powerful, the 2025 has a couple of extra gears as well as a surfeit of buffering dry extract and concentration. A delicious wine with its own unique following. Drink now to 2038+.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Savage Wines Savage Red 2024, WO Stellenbosch, 13.5% Abv.

This 100% Syrah red is made from Kuils River and Polkadraai Hills fruit with 15% fermented as submerged cap before being matured in older 500 litre barrels for 13 months followed by a further 10 months in foudre. The aromatics are sweet fruited and exotic showing hints of peach skins, red cherries and apricot pips. The mouthfeel is cool, sleek and minerally charged revealing a beautifully elegant texture, plenty of Granitic spice and chalky tannins on the finish. A very complete and compact wine. Drink now to 2038+.

(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The wines are offered by Great Domaines in Johannesburg and imported exclusively into the UK by Liberty Wines in London.

Riebeek Valley Wine Co. Release an Exciting New “Must Try” Red Field Blend 2025 From the Swartland…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

About seven years ago Nietvoorbij, the vine research facility in Stellenbosch, planted a variety of lesser known cultivars on various farms in the Swartland in order to test their draught resistance. The Riebeeck Valley Wine Co. were fortunate to find some of these vines planted in two long rows, one with white cultivars and one with red cultivars, on a farm just outside of Riebeek West.

A decision was made to harvest the red cultivars (Barbera, Carignan, Durif, Marselan, Tannat and Tempranillo) as a field blend, destemming the grapes into an open top fermenter. After a spontaneous wild yeast fermentation the wine was pressed off and aged in three old 300 litre French oak barrels for 8 months prior to being bottled.

Not really knowing what to expect, “the result was surprisingly charming, untamed and full of character. It reminded us of a scruffy streetdog with a questionable family tree but soulful eyes and a heart or gold… and so was born… Straatbrak” according to RVWC winemaker Sheree Nothnagel. 

Riebeek Valley Wine Co. Straatbrak Red Field Blend 2025, WO Swartland, 13.5% Abv.

Don’t let the sentimental label put you off, because this is one of the most seriously enticing offerings I’ve tasted to date from the Riebeek Valley Wine Co. An adventurous blend of Barbera, Carignan, Durif, Marselan, Tannat and Tempranillo, these are all the champion cultivars of Europe’s dryer warm climate regions thrown into one stunning blend. The logo on the label sums up the wine perfectly… “no pedigree, just personality” and boy does this wine have personality! First tasted slightly chilled, the aromatics burst with a complex medley of red and black berry fruits, plum spice, black currant compote and lovely wild bramble and hedgerow nuances. The palate is pure, pinpoint and deliciously precise with linear crisp acids, a bright fluid palate with powdery silky tannins supported by mouth-wateringly tangy acids. Perfectly assembled, beautifully characterful, but impressively intense, pure and focused with genuine winemaking prowess. One of the most exciting and juicy wines I’ve tasted all year from the Cape! This is a must try wine, served preferably lightly chilled. Drink now to 2034+.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW) 

Tasting the New 2025 RAAR Releases from the Riebeek Valley Wine Co. in the Swartland…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

The 2025 vintage arrives on the market as one of the most talked-about in recent Swartland memory. After winter rains replenished groundwater and set vines up for a healthy viticultural season, a cool, dry growing period unfolded, often being described as a “Goldilocks” year in contrast to the deluges of 2024. 

For the whites, moderate, dry harvest conditions allowed grapes to reach the cellar in excellent health, delivering wines with bright acidity, vivid fruit purity and real textural precision. The reds benefited from the same steady ripening window, with the Swartland’s noble red cultivars like Syrah developing intense colour, concentrated flavours and firm natural acidities, while low yields helped concentrate the wines’ character further.

The result is a premium RAAR range from the Riebeek Valley Wine Co. that captures a vintage of balance and clarity, producing wines that speak honestly of their terroir, a well chosen picking window, and winemaker Sheree Nothnagel’s distinctive, low-intervention style. 

Raar Grenache Blanc 2025, WO Swartland, 12.5% Abv.

Both Grenache Noir and Grenache Blanc have been two absolute success stories in the Cape over the past decade, with both cultivars finding a comfortable home in the Swartland region and surrounds. This small batch production white in the RAAR range is an absolute delight, with incredibly intricate aromatics loaded with white flowers, pithy white citrus, green apple, honeysuckle, crunchy peaches and a pronounced mineral undertone of Granitic spice. On the palate, the energy is almost boundless, the palate tart, tangy and deliciously fresh with a succulent lemony acidity supported by pithy lemon and yellow grapefruit notes, green apple, fennel root and a pithy wet stone minerality on the drying saline finish. A wonderful expression to enjoy now and over the next 3 to 5+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Raar Skin Contact Chenin Blanc 2025, WO Swartland, 12.5% Abv. 

This Old Vine certified bush vine Chenin Blanc was planted in 1979 on decomposed Granite soils. After a cold soak on its skins for six days, the wine was fermented in barrel using wild yeasts before being aged on its fine lees for six months. The aromatics show reductive notes of struck flint, dusty crushed Granite, dried straw, bruised yellow orchard fruits and subtle pithy orange marmalade hints. The palate is pithy and spicy, with a notable wet stone minerality, green apple, white peach and an exotic dried herbal complexity on the finish. A characterful, mineral laden, picante expression of skin contact Chenin Blanc making it the perfect gourmet-styled wine pairing option to drink now and over the next 3 to 5 years. (3,733 bottles produced.)

(Wine Safari Score: 92/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Raar Grenache Noir 2025, WO Swartland, 13% Abv.

This light to medium bodied red shows a beautiful aromatics of sweet purple flowers, a delicate sapidity, pressed violets, cranberries and savoury red bramble berry fruits. The palate displays the distinction and intensity of a great vintage like 2025, packed with a glycerol fruit concentration, a stony mineral skeletal frame, fresh integrated acids and sweet, soft pithy red berry fruits that linger long on the finish. You might need to give this young wine some time to add complexity, but stylistically, it’s a real beauty! Drink now to 2034+. (5,600 bottles produced.)

(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Raar Shiraz Carbonic Maceration 2025. WO Swartland, 14% Abv. 

Few grapes perform as well in the Swartland as Shiraz or Syrah, and this small batch production of 4,436 bottles used intra-cellular fermentation on 100% of the whole-bunches in the style of France’s Beaujolais region, followed by alcoholic fermentation, extended skin contact and then eight months barrel ageing before bottling. Always one of the most impressive cuvees in the RAAR range, this 2025 is certainly no different, bursting with a perfumed aromatics of violets, fresh rose petals, savoury black currants, black olive tapenade, sweet red peppercorns, cured bresaola and delicate hints of leafy sapidity. The texture on the palate is tight knit and creamy with a pronounced mineral chalky tannin structure, a tart bright integrated acidity and a beautifully spicy red and black berry fruited medley on the finish. Wonderful energy and a mouth watering acidity make this a particularly attractive red wine expression suitable for serving gently chilled. Drink now to 2032+.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Raar Petite Sirah 2025. WO Swartland, 14% Abv.

This Petite Sirah, aka Durif, profiles an opulent cultivar grown in the Swartland, made from dry-grown bush-vine grapes that were wild fermented with 30% whole bunches and extended post-fermentation maceration, then aged in old French oak barrels for eight months. The result is an opulent, ever so slightly hedonistic red expression that is bursting with aromatics of red plum compote, mulberries and earthy black currants. Super ripe and intense, there is a notably picante character on the palate, that’s layered with sweet black and blue berry fruits, hints of molasses and stewed black orchard fruits. The tannins add a drying structural support of chalky minerality and sweet berry fruits to finish with a delicately chewy, grippy persistence. Young, bright and exotic, this could be the perfect wine for a barbeque / braai. Drink now to 2032. (2,490 bottles produced.)

(Wine Safari Score: 91+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Raar Shiraz Carbonic Maceration is a regularly high scoring wine, cracking 95/100 GSMW for the 2025 release.

The Multi-Talented Chris Groenewald Hits London to Launch the New Releases of His Exciting Pounding Grapes Wine Range… 

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Chris Groenewald is a polymath of the South African wine scene, weaving together his background in theology, a deep expertise in blind wine tasting, and a “New Wave” approach to winemaking. Based in the Western Cape, Chris’s personal project, Pounding Grapes, reflects his philosophy of “naked, raw, and natural” wines that emphasize joyful character over any kind of technical rigidity.

As the captain of the South African World Blind Wine Tasting team, Groenewald possesses a world-class palate in anyone’s language, yet his own wines are anything but academic. His portfolio, which includes vibrant releases like the Bringing Back The Joy Skin-Contact Sauvignon Blanc and the Heart Candy Pinotage, focuses on minimal intervention. These wines typically undergo natural fermentation, often utilizing concrete eggs or old oak barrels to maintain fruit purity and texture without the mask of heavy wood.

Chris Groenewald from Pounding Grapes Winery.

Sourcing grapes from premium cool-climate sites like Durbanville, Pounding Grapes celebrates the “natty” wine culture – sometimes cloudy, often pithy, grippy and alive, while maintaining a high level of purity, cleanliness and technical precision. Whether he is reviving boutique labels like Terracura or crushing small batches for his own label, Groenewald’s work remains at the forefront of the Cape’s artisanal revolution, proving that serious wine doesn’t always have to take itself seriously.

Chris was recently in London and hosted an enlightening and informative tasting lunch at Noble Rot Mayfair, where we got to enjoy his new releases which are coming to the UK very soon through his importer, Wood Winters. 

Bringing Back the Joy Skin Contact Sauvignon Blanc 2025, WO Durbanville, 12.5% Abv. 

Malmesbury Shale soils facing table mountain. 7 days skin fermented, basket pressed into 1 x 500 litre Egg and 1 x 300 litre old oak barrel. Naturally fermented with malo fully completed. The aromatics are dusty and pithy, delicately grassy and herby with crushed Granite, lemon grass, pear and yellow orchard stone fruits. Delightfully fresh and tangy with an excellent fleshy mid-palate core of fruit, finishing with a zesty, intense salinity. Quite superb.

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

Terracura Chenin Blanc 2025, WO Swartland, 13% Abv. 

Chenin Blanc from vines planted in 1998. Basket pressed into one 525 litre egg. Lovely complex bruised yellow orchard fruit aromatics with hints of wet straw, waxy peaches, orange peel and savoury fynbos notes. Delicious weight, fleshy but beautifully characterful with excellent persistence on the finish.

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

Unicorns in the Sky Chenin Blanc 2025, WO Swartland, 13% Abv. 

Sourced from the ‘Sky’ Vineyard 75% Chenin Blanc planted 1998 and 25% from Kweperfontein Farm Chenin Blanc planted in 1964. Skin Fermented for 6 days, the Sky portion as per Terracura. Classical, waxy, savoury bruised yellow orchard fruit notes of the Paardeberg but this also has an intense Granitic hit of dusty, stony minerality, dried herbs and peach stone fruits with wet straw and fynbos hints. Incredible balance and restraint, with lovely orange blossom, and tangerine peel complexity.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Fairies in the Garden Semillon Gris 2025, WO Swartland, 12% Abv. 

Semillon Gris from the Kweperfontein Farm in the Paardeberg, with 7 days on skins, the big grapes packed with plenty of juice, open fermented and then into an egg and a 225 litre old oak barrel. A more natural leaning expression with delicious savoury notes, sapidity, orange peel, quince jelly and hints of yellow orchard fruits. So effortlessly juicy, tangy and bright, incredibly zippy, energetic and inviting. What an umami tinged complex stunner of a wine!

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

Wine writer Dr Jamie Goode merched up with his Pounding Grape cap.

Just Leave Me Flowers on My Grave Blend Chenin Blanc, 15% Abv.

65% left 3 years under flor (2023), 35% from fresh 2026 fruit. Blended a month ago and due to be bottled end May 2026. Saline and niche, nutty, tangy and umami salty without the cutting intensity of Sherry but with a salty, savoury complexity. The finish lingers – powerful and imposing with a pleasing walnut skin bitterness on the loooong finish. Idiosyncratic but also very delicious.

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

Heart Candy Pinotage 2024, WO Durbanville, 13% Abv. 

North facing vineyard, aged in two 225 litre oak barrels, the wine shows a lifted perfume intricacy and an exotic pink musk complexity, violets and red cherry rock candy notes. Super pure, bright and crystalline, this is delightfully translucent, energetic and vibrant with a smashable drinkability, tangy tart acids and a fabulous juicy length. Superb.

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

Where the Lines Bend 2025, WO Stellenbosch, 10.8% Abv. 

100% Cabernet Franc from the Bottelary Hills, 10 days cold soaked and fermented before being basket pressed into a concrete egg. The aromatics highlight the perfume and crunchy red fruit intensity, sweet cedar, crunchy red cherry and red currants. The delicate cedar spice sapidity follows to the palate with real energy and tension, tart linear acids and a cool, steely, taut focus with a hint of bay leaf spice on the finish. (1,300 bottles produced.)

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Terracura 2025 Syrah, WO Swartland, 13.2% Abv. 

100% wholebunch Syrah, then basket pressed into eggs and 300 litre barrels. Incredibly stalky, smoky, sappy and peppery over a dark fruited black berry, brambly fruit core. This is incredibly Oldy Worldy Rhone style Syrah with a super sleek creamy texture, incredibly finessed tannins with an attention to detail second to none. Wow!

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Contact Andrew@woodwinters.com for allocations and pricing. 

Premium South African Producers Descend on London for the Liberty Wines Portfolio Tasting…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

The first quarter of the year always sees the Liberty Wines Portfolio tasting at the Oval in Vauxhall, London, which features an incredible array of wines from around the world. This year I decided to focus on tasting the exciting crop of new and current release wines from South Africa in their range. Many in the UK will be aware that several key South African premium producers have recently moved over to the Liberty Wines portfolio, making it now one of the most exciting line-ups with any importer in the UK. As always, it was fantastic to catch up with the producers in person like John Seccombe, Marelise Niemann, Craig Wessels, Peter-Allan Finlayson, Chris Mullineux and others.

The Restless River New Releases from Craig Wessels will be featured in a separate write-up on A Fine Wine Safari coming very soon.

Dr Jamie Goode tasting with John Seccombe.

Thorne & Daughters:

Thorne & Daughters Paper Kite 2024, 13% Abv.

Semillon planted in 1963 on Granite soils. Rich leesy aromatics with lemon and herbs, lanoline and buttered white toast. Crisp, fleshy but beautifully saline and textured on the finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

John Seccombe

Thorne & Daughters Rocking Horse White Blend 2023, 13.5% Abv.

Rich and waxy with lemon and peaches, lactic leesy hints and some marzipan nuances. Fleshy, and pithy, packing a nice bit of power on the long finish. Impressive as always.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Thorne & Daughters Snakes & Ladders Sauvignon Blanc 2024, 14% Abv.

This Skurfberg vineyard delivers a pithy, waxy yellow orchard fruit characters that balance the slightly oily notes of the Sauvignon Blanc phenolics. The palate is chiselled and fresh with a vibrant saline acidity and a cool, pithy, mineral finish. Classy grown up Sauvignon!

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

Thorne & Daughters Wanderers Heart 2022, 13.5% Abv.

A Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Mourvedre blend. Shows exotic sweet spices, layers of red fruits and bramble berries. Acids are crisp and saline, the minerality adding extra crunch, definition and tension. Lovely textured red Rhone blend with weightless concentration.

(Wine Safari Score: 92+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Momento Wines:

Momento Chenin Blanc / Verdelho 2022, 13% Abv.

Complex leesy, herby, savoury aromatics before a more fleshy palate packed with granitic minerality and a yellow orchard fruit complexity. Serious effort as usual.

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

Momento Grenache Blanc 2023, 13.5% Abv. 

Pithy, dusty aromatics with grated apple skins, pear drops and granitic minerality. Beautifully balanced, the palate shows freshness, citrus pithiness, dried herbs and a crystalline wet river pebble finish. Top class example. 

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

Myself and Marelise Niemann

Momento Grenache Gris 2023, 13% Abv.

Waxy green apple cordial and wet grey slate aromatics. Lovely intensity on the palate, a pronounced salinity and a cool, crystalline, mineral finish. Impressive! 

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Momento Paardeberg Grenache Noir 2023, 13% Abv.

Distinct bramble berry fruit aromatics, delicately perfumed with potpourri and rose petals. Beautifully cool, mineral and restrained in the palate, taut, crystalline and pure with crunchy saline chalky red berry notes on the finish.

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

Peter-Allan Finlayson

Crystallum and Gabrielskloof Wines:

Crystallum The Agnes Chardonnay 2025, 13.5% Abv.

Embryonic, pithy and fresh with white citrus, green melon and delicate fruit salad and cream notes. Lovely concentration, flinty stony reductive hint with a wet river stone finish.

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

Crystallum Clay Shales Chardonnay 2025, 13% Abv.

A little more citrus, peaches and cream with leesy hints and buttered brioche nuances. Dense, compact and textured, the concentration is punchy, the toasty melon and citrus fruits intense and long.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Gabrielskloof Elodie Chenin Blanc 2024, 13% Abv.

From 40- and 45-year-old Swartland Chenin Blanc vineyards. Taut stony mineral expression with apple, peach and pear drop aromatics. There’s impressively delicate weightless green apple notes, with a cool, crystalline, easy drinking finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Crystallum Peter Max 2024, 13.5% Abv.

Beautifully aromatic nose laced with potpourri, violets, and bramble berry spice. Incredibly intense and vibrant with piercing red berry fruits, cherry and a salty finish. Wow!

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Gabrielskloof Syrah Whole Bunch 2024, 13% Abv.

A deliciously brambly, earthy peppery aromatics ps led full of smoky black berries, tar and burnt wood embers. Palate is soft and supple, cool, elegant and vibrant with crunchy acids and a long finish full of Christmas spices.

(Wine Safari Score: 92/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Gabrielskloof Cabernet Franc Landscape Series 2022, 14% Abv.

Beautifully expressive aromatics of sweet cedar, liquorice, tar and salty black currant. The elegance and salinity follows to a juicy, vibrant palate, finishing with graphite minerality and herbal spice.

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

Mullineux Wines:

Mullineux Old Vine White 2024, 13.5% Abv.

Still circa 70% Chenin Blanc with some Quartz vineyard but mostly low yielding Paardeberg Chenin Blanc. Aromatics are full of sweet herbs, crushed Granite and white peach with a weightless concentration, delicately pithy fruits and a yellow orchard fruit concentration on the finish. Punch and impressive for the vintage.

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

Mullineux Terroir Series Granite Chenin Blanc 2024, 13.5% Abv.

Lovely tangerine and white peach notes with hints of green apple, deep veins of liquid minerality and concentrated apple and white citrus on the finish. Layered, fleshy and intense, this packs a real punch.

(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chris Mullineux

Mullineux Syrah 2023, 13% Abv.

A very pretty fragrant aromatics with red and black berry fruits, violets, lavander and sweet herbs. The tannins are cool and stony, pithy and mineral with notes of saline black currant, black liquorice and Granitic spice. Tangy, fresh and beautifully intense.

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

Mullineux Terroir Series Schist Syrah 2023, 13.5% Abv.

A beautifully fragrant and exotic aromatics showing violets, lavander, musk and stony minerality. The delicately perfumed nose gives way to a power packed palate, dense, savoury and spicy, packed full of black pepper, cured meats and smoky wood embers. A substantial wine indeed.

(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Leeu Passant Wines:

Leeu Passant Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, 14% Abv.

Intricate aromatics of sweet cedar, lead pencil, graphite, sweet Chai tea over black currant fruits. Silky and sleek in the mouth, cool, mineral and classically framed, this is really elegant and restrained for old world wine lovers.

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

Leeu Passant Chardonnay 2023, 14% Abv. 

Exotic aromatics of perfumed peach and apricot, honeydew melon, green apple and buttered white toast. Massive concentration on the palate with candied citrus, lime cordial and a fleshy green apple finish. Wow, this has a lot of stuffing.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Adi Badenhorst, a new agency for Liberty Wines.

Also on taste:  Restless River from Craig Wessels, AA Badenhorst Family Wines who’s sample bottles were mostly finished before I could taste them due to popular demand, the Bosberaad Wines from Paul Jordaan and Pauline Roux which I recently reviewed on A Fine Wine Safari, as well as a selection of Fairview Wines and Spice Route Wines. 

Pauline Roux, partner in Bosberaad Wines.

Tasting and Reviewing the Riebeek Valley Wine Co. Small Batch Boutique Raar 2024 Range of Wines from the Swartland – Part 3…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

With the Riebeek Valley Wine Co. increasingly featuring on many collectors’ best value fine wine lists of late, each new vintage release from winemaker Sheree Nothnagel seems to command significant attention. The pithy Skin Contact Chenin Blanc is characterful and quirky, and the Grenache Blanc and Palomino whites are benchmark examples from the Swartland. But it is undoubtedly the Carbonic Maceration Shiraz and the Grenache Noir reds that have performed exceptionally well, with the former regularly scoring in the 94 to 95 point range in the Winemag.co.za Prescient Blind Shiraz Category Awards. In my final review from the Raar range, I look at their new 2024 Grenache Noir that is currently on sale in the market.

The Riebeek Cellar Wine Co. was established in 1941 and is today owned by 30 shareholders, with some 900 hectares of vineyard under cultivation. Under the watchful eye of Sheree Nothnagel, who was previously at Wildehurst Cellar, who moved across at the end of 2019 to head up the Riebeek Valley Wine Co.’s boutique cellar with the Raar range of wines being the small production “jewel in the crown” at this Swartland winery.

RAAR Grenache Noir 2024, WO Swartland, 14% Abv.

Light fresh ethereal aromatics reveal hints of cranberry, pomegranate, bramble berry and sour plum. The palate is deliciously fleshy, tangy and energetic, beautifully fresh and mouth wateringly intense. Overall, very impressive balance and restraint on the delicately herby, pithy, mineral laden finish. Another cracking wine from Sheree Nothnagel that represents incredible value for money. Drink now to 2030+.

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Paulus Wine Co. – A Notable New Boutique Winery on the South African Wine Landscape – Tasting Their 2023 Releases… 

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

I have known Paul Jordaan for many years, primarily through his role as the Sadie Family Wines’ lead winemaker, where he held this position for 12 years. It was during this tenure that he co-founded the Paulus Wine Co. in 2018, with first vintages released to great acclaim in as early as 2019. Founded alongside Pauline Roux, who I have not had the pleasure to meet yet, the Paulus Wine Co. was created “to reflect their shared passion for the Swartland, organic viticulture, low-intervention winemaking and site-specific Chenin Blanc” Paul explains.

To complement Paul’s enviable decade plus of winemaking experience at arguably South Africa’s most famous and respected premium boutique winery – Sadie Family Wines – Pauline too has a commensurate amount of experience having worked vintages at Domaine Drouhin in Oregon, at Brokenwood in the Hunter Valley in Australia, as well as having served stints at local wineries in the Cape including Mullineux Family Wines and AA Badenhorst Wines, both situated in the Swartland. 

At the moment, the range consists of two wines – the Paardeberg Bosberaad Chenin Banc and the Bartas Helderberg Chenin Blanc from Stellenbosch. Having now departed his winemaking role at Sadie Family Wines, this dynamic duo are free to devote their full time and energy to promoting and developing this exciting new boutique wine brand. I recently tasted their two new release cuvees from the 2023 vintage that have just arrived in the UK and was suitably impressed. 

Paulus Wine Company Bosberaad Chenin Blanc 2023, WO Swartland, 13.5% Abv.

The grapes for the Bosberaad Chenin Blanc are sourced from the heart of the Siebritskloof Valley in the Paardeberg, on the southern border of the Swartland. The vineyard is owned by their good friend and third generation grower, Franziska Wickens of Waterval Farm. The old dryland grown bush vines were planted in 1980 and produce low yields of intensely concentrated fruit. Located on an east-facing ridge, the site benefits from afternoon shade, tempering the region’s warm climate. The site’s decomposed deep Granite soils also result in excellent balance, minerality and freshness. The vines are farmed organically, without certification. 2023 was a challenging vintage in the Swartland. Winter was warm and dry, followed by a dry growing season. Rain in mid-December helped to reduce vine stress and extend the ripening. Fortunately, the region did not experience prolonged heatwaves, only short 1-2 day heat spikes. However, yields were still relatively low. Paulus’s harvest began in mid-January and finished at the end of February 2023.

The Bosberaad 2023 is yet another benchmark old vine Chenin Blanc from Paul Jordaan made from Paardeberg grapes grown on decomposed Granite soils. The aromatics are true to the Swartland terroir with intricate notes of dry bushveld after the first rains, wet hay, white peach, crunchy pear, and crushed granite with just the most subtle top notes of white toast and honeycomb. The palate is packed with concentration and intensity with confident yellow orchard fruit flavours, yellow apples and pear puree all concertinaed between a pithy wet stone minerality and deliciously bright, taut tangy acids that lend great persistence, focus and clarity to the finish. The 2023 Swartland vintage was a bit of a slow burner on release but with a little extra time in bottle has revealed a veritable feast of flavour and freshness. Swartland Chenin lovers are going to want some of this gem in their cellars. I certainly do! Drink now to 2035+.

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

Paulus Wine Company Bartàs Chenin Blanc 2023, WO Stellenbosch, 12.5% Abv.

The grapes are sourced from a vineyard block located on a small hill on Rustenhof Farm in the Helderberg, the southernmost coastal region of Stellenbosch. Planted in 1978, the bush vines are rooted in shallow decomposed Granite soils, contributing to the wine’s distinctive mineral character. The site faces a prevailing south-easterly wind and is located roughly five kilometres from the Atlantic Ocean resulting in a notable precision, purity and tension in the wine. The 2023 vintage produced elegant wines in Stellenbosch. The Helderberg region experienced a cooler winter than average at the end of 2022, allowing the vines to effectively rest and recover from the previous harvest. Berries were slightly smaller than average resulting in excellent flavour development and intense concentration. The grapes were harvested at the end of January 2023.

Paul Jordaan and Pauline Roux’s Bartàs 2023 is sourced from a stunning old vine parcel of Stellenbosch Chenin Blanc planted in the Helderberg in 1978, and like its sibling from the Swartland, the Bosberaad Chenin Blanc, is grown of decomposed Granite soils. This coastal Chenin Blanc shows a pronounced dusty crushed Granite minerality over notes of green apple, crunchy pear, dried herbs, fynbos, and delicate, pithy grape skin phenolics. Beautifully pure and delineated on the palate, the acids are noticeably bright, tangy, and lemony, melting seamlessly into tart green apple, sweet quince, and salty lemon peel nuances. This is another very impressive Helderberg Chenin Blanc with a surfeit of mineral intensity and precision, fabulous fruit purity and a terroir driven complexity. Drink now and over the next 10+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Paulus Wine Co. wines are imported exclusively into the UK by Liberty Wines.

From the Fine Wine Safari Cellar – Part 5: Sadie Family Wines Die Ouwingerdreeks Treinspoor Tinta Barocca 2013 Swartland Red…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ 4 Comments

This old vineyard for the Treinspoor Old Vine Series red was planted in 1974 and lies on the western side of Malmesbury, on route to Darling. Historically Tinta Das Baroccas (the earlier pronunciation) has always had a good, prominent place in the Swartland region (who doesn’t love Allesverloren’s Tinta Barocca with an artisanal pizza!?) This vineyard is located next to the old railway line (treinspoor) and was named accordingly, grown on decomposed Granite and Table Mountain sandstone soils with yields of circa 18 hectolitres per hectare. (In the early days, I was told Eben found this vineyard when he was driving past and saw heavy JCB diggers about to rip up this venerable old vineyard. After discussions with the owner, he offered to farm it offering a considerably higher grape price and so the farmer decided to save the vineyard. But I stand to be corrected on this!)

The very fragile thin skin of Tinta Barocca is prone to sunburn, but in this case, the old bush vines have formed a great framework to keep the bunches sheltered from the intense Swartland sun. The good colour and firm acidity of this variety have made it a favourite component in blends from the outset. However, once a Tinta Barocca vineyard has grown into old age, it has all the complexities and qualities to be bottled on its own. On the Sadie Family website, Eben Sadie suggests this wine can easily age up to 18+ years. On the current showing at almost 13 years old, I would suggest this is a fairly conservative assessment. 

The Sadie Family Ageing Guide:

Treinspoor VERSION 1: 1-4 years; VERSION 2: 10 – 18 years 

“The reality is that Tinta Barocca is a big temperament grape with the demeanour and makeup to age. The entire being of this grape and liquid construction is made for the future. It drinks well young with a big steak and a plate of triple-fired potato chips, but as a wine on its own or down a white tablecloth and some fine dining, it requires the wait.” – Eben Sadie

Sadie Family Wines Die Ouwingerdreeks Treinspoor 2013, WO Swartland, 13% Abv.

This is a really impressive wine that shows an incredibly vibrant red cherry and red plum skin colour in the glass. Tasted from a Zalto Universal glass, the aromatics continue to evolve over one, two, three hours with top notes of gentle spicy leafy sapidity, hints of crushed Granite dust, red currants, red plum skins, dried herbs, and freshly sawn oak notes. On the palate, the wine shows an intricate juxtaposition between a gently mellowing textural savoury bottle age alongside fresh, vibrant, pithy cherry fruits, red plums, and salty red liquorice candies. You get the sense that the tannins were once fairly rustic, but now with the benefit of time, show a chalky liquid minerality – fine grained, creamy and soft but still an imposing element of the wine’s structure. This is a beautiful expression of Tinta Barocca. If you are lucky enough to still have a few bottles in your cellar, start drinking now and over the next 10 years. But certainly no rush! I am very pleased I managed to “lose” a case of this wine in my cellar. This was my first bottle of six.

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