The Sadie Family wines 'Soldaat 2023 Swartland Grenache

The Sadie Family wines 'Soldaat 2023 Swartland Grenache
VINIFICATION | Grenache is one of the most planted red varietals globally and had
a greater presence in the early 1900’s in South Africa. Recent indications are that that it is
making a come-back and many new vineyards have been planted lately. The reality is that
young Grenache tends to over-produce and in many respects its big previous downfall can
be linked to this fact, but when a vineyard comes of age and/or is planted in a less forgiving
site with reduced fruit load, it can compete with the most elegant and refined reds of the
Mediterranean climate.
We basically fill the concrete tanks whole cluster to about 60% and then destem 40% to get
some juice in the tank to have the initiation of fermentation. The fermentation is for about
30 days on the skins and then we press the grapes in an old basket press.
AGEING | After pressing the wine is transferred back into concrete, therefore the
fermentation on the skins, pressing and the subsequent ageing all take place in 33Hl concrete
tanks. The wine is left for 8 months on the lees and then racked to another concrete tank for
an additional 4 months to settle clean. Three weeks prior to bottling we add 60mg/Litre of
sulphur and bottle the wine from the fine lees.
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.
With the Soldaat 2022, we opted again to open up the leaves around the overtly shaded bunches as the
lack of direct sunlight on the bunches historically contributed to a volume of greener vegetal
characteristics. This 2022 Soldaat has the characteristic red cherry and bright pomegranate fruit
aromas that carry through into deeper earthy flavours. This year the colour is slightly darker but
still bright red, and the tannins are softer than usual. The fruit is overall quite expressive, and the
softer mouthfeel of the tannins suggests that this vintage was quite fully ripe at 13% alcohol. It
will be hard not to drink it, but the wine gains massive complexity with time in the bottle.