SIZE

6 PACK, 750ml BOTTLES, $124.99 EACH

PRODUCER

SADIE Family Wines

VINTAGE

2022

COLOUR

White

SUB-REGION, REGION, COUNTRY

Swartland, Western Cape, South Africa

GRAPE

Chenin Blanc 

98 Points, Tim Atkin

"Part of a trilogy of Chenin Blancs – and the only one from Eben Sadie’s base in the Swartland – this is a brilliant second release from very bony, decomposed granite soils on the Paardeberg. Perfumed, elegant, steely and refined, it has a Grand Cru Chablis-like focus and intensity, all wet stones and oyster shell, with rock salt and fresh lime flavours and the seamless concentration of its 39-year-old bush vines."

 

The Rotsbank vineyard is located in the Paardeberg in the Aprilskloof on a rock shelf that barely has 30 – 50 cm of soil in most parts. It is incredible to think that this vineyard survives year after year. Many of the roots in the soil have found cracks in this rock shelf, and the limited natural growth of this vineyard makes for incredibly concentrated fruit. Since 2008 we have wanted to produce a Swartland Chenin Blanc, but the 2022 vintage materialised as the first after we were very fortunate to purchase the vineyard. This 2023 Rotsbank bottling displays match flint, almost crushed oyster shell aromas with grapefruit aspects. The wine is incredibly concentrated on the aromatics, and the tannins have massive tension. The wine’s substantial acidity and dry finish suggest that it will only benefit much from the time in the bottle. It is one of the most linear expressions of the year. It is a blue steel Chenin

SIZE

6 PACK, 750ml BOTTLES, $219.99 EACH

PRODUCER

SADIE Family Wines

VINTAGE

2022

COLOUR

White

SUB-REGION, REGION, COUNTRY

Swartland, Western Cape, South Africa

GRAPE

Chenin Blanc BLEND

98 Points, Decanter

"Opens slowly with the fragrance of cool lemony citrus, bergamot and mandarin. There’s an undertone of fresh beeswax and flint. A portrait of the Swartland, with 17 different vineyards making up the components. Eben believes this vintage is ‘a strong contender for the most restrained’ in [its] five year run. The parcels were wild fermented in concrete eggs and amphora... The palate is radiant with white peach, limes, orchard apples and tangy nectarine, rippled through with a liquid mineral acidity that carries the fruit into a resonant, layered finish."

 

Over the past 5 years Palladius has been the wine that grew the most in quality and refinement and much of this has to do with the addition of more vineyards and the improvement of their viticulture. Currently of all our wines, the Palladius, with 17 vineyards, obviously represents the biggest canvas of the Swartland. The 2022 starts by almost playing hide-and-seek; the wine is more reserved and holding back. And only after warming up and a couple of minutes in the glass does the conversation start. The aromas are that of green apple and citrus flint, and then some of the stone fruit aromas begin to shine through. The wine needs time. The palate is already balanced, and the acidity is met by very firm tannins. The aftertaste is lingering. This bottling is a great vintage to follow the 2021. It is a strong contender for the most restrained version, but we must taste 2021 and 2022 with some age to have a final verdict. As always, it is suggested to age this wine for a minimum of 4 - 6 years.

SIZE

6 PACK, 750ml BOTTLES, $219.99 EACH

PRODUCER

Matt TAYLOR WINES

VINTAGE

2019

COLOUR

White

SUB-REGION, REGION, COUNTRY

WEST SONOMA COAST, Sonoma County, United States

GRAPE

Chardonnay

 

Hand-harvested, hand-sorted and whole cluster pressed on the 9th of October, 2018. Bottled in February of 2020 with zero sulfur added.