Wineblog

By Edo Heyns

Few other wine regions boast the ability to reinvent themselves like the Swartland. The Cape’s breadbasket went from being considered too hot for serious wine production to becoming the talk of the town and the base of eccentric wine cowboys, who were out to conquer the wine world with their characterful and bold blends.

Every cowboy has a softer side and on a recent trip to the Swartland, I noticed that the latest trend is to prove that the same vines that produce full and impressive showstoppers can also wow with elegant and fruity wines at very decent prices. Pioneer Eben Sadie’s most recent duo of Sequillo wines showed a very definite shift to freshness, while the Kloof Street wines by the magnificent Mullineux’s are equally elegant and refined.

The funky labels of Lammershoek’s “Lam” range are also an indication that while these wines used to have a cult following, the region is opening up to the broader market, without compromising the out-of-the-box image and wine style. Chris Mullineux explains that there is a definite demand for wines with a lower alcohol and more freshness. “Luckily, this is something that the Swartland can offer: more fruit-driven whites and reds that still have that typical Swartland spice.”

Perhaps the most significant aspect of this new Swartland phenomenon is the price of most of these ‘second label’ gems. As with the top of the range wines, Eben leads pricing at R130 for the Sequillo White and Red – which can only be bought in cases – while the Kloof Street Chenin Blanc and Rouge are sold at R60 and R65 respectively. The Lam range comprises a white blend, Pinotage, Syrah and rosé, all at R60 per bottle. All the full weekend tickets for next weekend’s Swartland Revolution are now sold out, but for those that have missed the boat, the Swartland’s ongoing revolution will continue to surprise.

* There is unlimited space for people to come to the Swartland Revolution Street Party on Saturday afternoon. At R50pp you can taste 14 local wineries’ wines. Visit www.theswartlandrevolution.com for more info.

By Edo Heyns

There are pros and cons to having Sadie as a surname if you are not The Sadie – especially if you’re making white blends in the Swartland. On the one hand, every wine geek pays attention when they hear your name; while on the other, you are likely to live in the shadow of Eben - the well-known proprietor of Sadie Family Wines.

It would, however, be worthwhile to take note of another Sadie that has recently released a wine that carries his name.

David and his trusty companion, Tarzan.

Only David Sadie’s first name appears on the label of his maiden release – a blend of Chenin Blanc (51%), Viognier (39%) and Verdelho (10%), called Aristargos. And after joining David and his wife Nadia (also a qualified winemaker) for a bobotie-lunch in Tulbagh, I’ve learnt that he’s clearly out to make a name for himself, without imitating some of the established Swartland cowboys – or his previous boss at Saronsberg, Dewaldt Heyns.

The Aristargos is aromatic and complex, with Viognier playing the prominent role on the nose and palate. David is a fan of the variety and has recently completed a harvest in Condrieu, the French stronghold of single varietal Viognier.

He explains that Viognier’s role is pivotal, to “break the abstractness of Chenin Blanc” and round off the blend.  What is the abstractness of Chenin? “It tends to have one dimensional fruit, which needs to be spiced up a bit,” explains David.

The 2010 Aristargos has received a very positive review from Tim Atkin and although only 700 bottles  were made, the wine has popped up at some very influential events - such as the Wosa stand at The London International Trade Fair and the American Express Fine Dining Awards, where it will be one of six wines, served to exactly the market he’d like to be seen by.

In fact, according to David, his biggest concern is that the wine is already sold out and still very much in demand. I tasted a sample of the 2011 and my prediction is that this will even sell out faster!

Now with noticeable Grenache Blanc and Roussanne components, the latest version is fresh and clean, with remarkable finesse and elegance. Unlike the maiden release, not all the grapes were sourced from the Swartland. “There’s much hype around the Swartland at the moment – and rightly so. I don’t want to be limited to one region though and if it requires buying grapes from Paarl or its surrounds to make the best wine possible, I will do so.”

Also watch out for a single varietal Grenache Noir and Chenin Blanc – the latter made from “spicy” blocks in the Swartland.

David is not related to Eben, but Stormers centre, Johann, is his brother. Ouboet David also had a promising rugby career at Maties and Western Province, which was cut short by a neck injury. Loss for Rugby, gain for wine.

By Edo Heyns

The pencil lines logo summarises the Sequillo branding and approach – work in progress. Eben Sadie’s exciting but more affordable Sequillo wines have recently undergone a complete metamorphosis after “Sequillo Cellars have been too closely related to the Sadie Family Wines”.

The new Sequillos – a 2010 White and 2009 Red – have been reengineered with regards to wine style and packaging, with Eben stating that previously the whites were too “out there” and the reds needed much more time in the bottle than consumers were prepared to wait for.

I tasted these wines with a couple of younger winemakers, who should in theory have the right palates to judge the style that is being pursued. The White has been altered most, steering away from an oxidative style that was both criticised and adored – with myself being part of the latter grouping.

Eben explains that they found some vineyard sites that hold more acidity and freshness and picked the oxidative varieties earlier, while a pneumatic bladder press is now also utilised, which is much more reductive and conservative in general. For more freshness, Clairette and Palomino were included in the blend.

This freshness is prevalent in a greenish hue in the colour, that also follows through on the nose and palate. The wine boasts a fresh and aromatic nose with a floral complexity. On taste, a notable minerality is a definite plus.

The wine is not as distinctive as the previous vintages, but is likely to be easier to approach for the broader market. A more typical Sequillo honeybush character arises with some time in the glass and decanting is definitely a must, while I’m personally going to wait a while before opening another bottle.

Although made in a different style, I thoroughly enjoyed the red – elegant, fragrant and remarkably delicate for a wine with an alcohol of 14.5%. The nose is alluring with dried spice, wet soil and clean fruit. This follows through on the palate, which is crisp, fruity and fresh. Cinsault and Carignan have been added to the blend specically to lift the fruit component. The wine is bright and graceful and Eben definitely succeeded in his attempt to make an easier drinking wine.

While the wines used to be “out there” and are now a bit more restrained, the packaging has taken over the bombastic role in the product. As with the wines themselves, it pays to take another and another and yet another look at the labels. You’re likely to spot something new every time. Not everybody will like the packaging. I do. In fact, I’ll buy the bottle just for the funky capsule!

The new Sequillo wines were released on 1 July and are only sold in cases of six, at R133.38 per bottle.