The Sadie Family, Treinspoor, Swartland 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.

Stately and refined on the nose, the 2022 Old Vine Series Treinspoor expresses dark red fruit with ripe black cherry and spiced plum essences. Medium-bodied and with 13% alcohol, the palate displays elegance and finesse, offering a balanced frame of fine-grained tannins with seductive mineral tension. For those who have never tried this bottling, many elements will be familiar and pleasurable, offering fantastic action with layers of complexity before ending with a long lingering finish that shines with bold tannins. 7,500 bottles were produced from 50% whole-cluster grapes.