Sadie Family Swartland Treinspoor 2022

“The 2022 Treinspoor is pure Swartland Tinta Barocca that includes 50% whole clusters, 20 to 28 days on the skins and matured in old foudres. The bouquet is a little plusher on the nose than the Pofadder, with crushed rose petals and fynbos – garrigue. Stunning delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins, perfectly balanced, and a touch of graphite. It’s quite saline on the finish with a pinch of white pepper. All this is delivered at just 13.1% alcohol. Sadie reckons this grape variety is a long-term player, and I’ve no reason to disagree. Sublime.” 97 points, Neal Martin, Vinous

“I’m besotted with this grape,” says Eben Sadie, and I’m finally beginning to understand his infatuation. Less tannic and rustic than it has been in the past, Treinspoor is structured, focused and intense with notes of tar, damson, plum skin and redcurrant and lots of ageing potential.” 95 points, Tim Atkin MW, South Africa Report 2023

Old Vine Series. “It’s a Swartland thing”, notes Sadie of Tinta Barocca (the South African spelling has only one ‘r’ and two ‘c’s). This variety arrived in South Africa from the Douro and has found an opportune home in the Western Cape. Historically, Tinta das Baroccas (as it was once labelled) has always played a prominent role in Swartland’s red blends, and interest in the variety—particularly from old, dry-grown vineyards—has spiked in recent years.

This vineyard, planted in 1974 and located next to the old railway line (treinspoor), lies four kilometres west of Malmesbury on decomposed granite and sandstone. Sadie notes that while the very fragile, thin skin of Tinta Barocca is prone to sunburn, the old bush vines of this site keep the bunches sheltered from the intense Swartland sun.

He likens his Treinspoor to a sort of stylistic cross between northern Rhône Syrah (black cherry/blackcurrant/grenadine fruit, iodine and nettles) and Piedmontese Nebbiolo (spice, flowers, acidity and tannins): “It has Piedmont-like tannins and northern Rhône aromatics” says Eben. Regardless, as you can read below, it’s a brilliant red. It ferments in concrete with 50% whole bunches and is raised for 11 months in large cask. Like all Sadie wines, it is an outstanding, idiosyncratic red of beauty, finesse and character.

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