Sadie Family Swartland Pofadder 2024

Sadie Family Swartland Pofadder 2024

Swartland. In the 1920s, Cinsault was the most-planted black grape in South Africa. However, as one of the fickler varieties to work with, it suffered a fall from grace post-WWII. It’s only very recently that (with growers such as Eben Sadie and Chris Alheit leading the charge) the “Pinot Noir of Swartland” has been reborn. The results are revelatory. This charming variety is being planted more by top growers in the south of France, and wines like this show you why.

Pofadder is pure Cinsault, cropped from a 1973-planted parcel in Riebeeksrivier on the Kasteelberg Mountain (west of Malmesbury). The soils are slate and decomposed shale. Pofadder is Afrikaans for a puff adder, a type of snake in these parts that claimed the life of a vineyard worker in the 1940s. Sadie is a champion of old-vine Cinsault in the Cape, but even he concedes that this is the vineyard and the wine that need the most care. Controlling yields, rigorous sorting and protection from oxidation in the cellar are all vital. The wine is a gloriously textured yet vibrant ode to variety and region. Sadie notes that the wine’s tannins are softer than usual this year, gifting an exceptionally well-balanced young Pofadder.

Pofadder uses raw material from a 2.5-hectare block on the Riebeeksrivier farm in the Swartland. Always approachable young, it's exceptionally so in 2024, with haunting schistderived aromas that invite you into the glass. Subtle, charming and elegant, it has flavours of rosehip, wild strawberry and Turkish Delight and a racy, mineral-etched core. 96 Points - Tim Atkin MW

This pulls you in with aromas of peppercorns, citrus rind, rosemary, red cherries and red currants. It’s supremely fresh and silky, with a medium body and fine, seamless tannins. Elegant, but with tension and texture. 95 Points - JamesSuckling.com