2022 The Sadie Family 'Soldaat' Grenache Swartland

Winemaker Notes: The fermentation of the Soldaat vineyard is a wonderful experience in the cellar since the red strawberry, cherry and pomegranate kind of fresh fruit aromas and perfumes fill the entire space; and these and similar flavours are to be found in the resultant wine. Grenache is a grape that completely translates the terroir into liquid. The purity of fruit and transparency of the wine, with very earthy notes, develop into greater complexity with time – this is the main characteristic here alongside the fresh fruit aromas. The tannin textures do reward those that have the nerve to wait and allow the wine to mature properly for 5 – 8 years minimum.

After our 20-year review on vinification at our winery we decided to slightly reduce the percentage of whole clusters by destemming around 40% of the bunches to reduce the volume of potassium pick up and pH meltdown. The wine is still very much primal red bright fruit and intense berried flavors but we have gained much greater purity and earthy characters all round and a better build of tannin in the end of the wine. This wine has brightness with weight.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM


Tim Atkin - "Eben Sadie buys the grapes for this wine from Erasmus and Bielie van Zyl's farm in Piekenierskloof. Comparatively pale in colour but certainly not lacking in perfume or intensity, it's subtle, ethereal Grenache of great precision. Fermented with 50% whole bunches, it has flavours of rooibos tea, pomegranate and wild strawberry and a racy, stony finish. 2024-2029."


Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - "Bursting with a bright, fresh nose with crunchy red fruit aromas, the 2022 Old Vine Series Soldaat displays impeccable balance and crystalline purity from a challenging vintage. Medium-bodied and with lively acidity and delicate mineral tension, the Grenache bursts with bright red fruit flavors, even though it spent less time on the skins and clocks in with some of the lowest alcohol for the bottling. Only 6,800 bottles were filled with 50% whole-cluster Grenache. Bravo, I want more! 94+"