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| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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Cape South Coast | 1 | - |
Inc. VAT
£276.29 |
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Cape South Coast | 1 | - |
Inc. VAT
£235.24 |
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Western Cape | 1 | - |
Inc. VAT
£186.04 |
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A slightly more savoury and distinctly Burgundian expression featuring enhanced earthiness from cloves and tree bark. The red fruits are here in abundance, most notably wild strawberries and rhubarb, while there is a red apple skin quality to the tannins. The finish is all crushed mulberries and salted cherries, adding a moreish finish, which makes the wine dangerously drinkable in spite of its ageing potential.
More Info
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Coastal Region | 3 | - |
Inc. VAT
£428.69 |
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Emanating from the heritage-rich soils of the Western Cape, South Africa, the 'Damascene Chenin Blanc 2021' is a true embodiment of meticulous winemaking. Jean Daneel, renowned fine wine producer, harnesses his unyielding passion to create this unparalleled Chenin Blanc. Matured in French oak barrels, the wine possesses a remarkable balance of oaky nuances and fruity zest. The 'Damascene Chenin Blanc 2021' enchants connoisseurs with a sublime golden hue, encapsulating enthralling aromas of apple, white peach, and honeyed pear. The energetic palate springs forth a lucid acidity that impeccably counters the plump fruit depth, culminating in a lingering mineral finish. Handpicked, foot-trodden, and crafted from bush vines aged 38-54 years, this multi-dimensional wine bespeaks its terroir. The 'Damascene Chenin Blanc 2021' succeeds in encapsulating the rich characteristics of old-world winemaking, while embracing the allure of new-age innovation. A sheer display of masterful craftsmanship, the 'Damascene Chenin Blanc 2021' is poised to be etched in the annals of fine wine lore. |
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Coastal Region | 5 | 92 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£174.29 |
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Vinous (92)The 2017 Aristargos is a blend of several white varieties from 14 different vineyards that includes Marsanne for the first time. It is whole-bunch-pressed, with the Sémillon kept on its skins for a few days and then matured in 300-liter used barrels for 12 months. It has a vivacious bouquet of yellow plum, mirabelle and jasmine aromas, all wonderfully defined. The palate is well balanced with a waxy texture and notes of stone fruit, sesame, walnut and orange peel . A very subtle flor-like element lends tension on finish. Superb. |
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Coastal Region | 3 | 91 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£174.29 |
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Vinous (91)The 2018 Aristargos is a blend of 53% Chenin Blanc, 13% Clairette, 13% Sémillon with some skin contact, 10% Roussanne, 2% Marsanne and 9% Viognier, from a mixture of old and younger vines from across 14 vineyards, matured in neutral oak for 11 months. It has a complex bouquet of nectarine, desiccated orange peel, grilled hazelnuts and a touch of almond. The palate is fresh on the entry with a fine bead of acidity and quite neutral in style, offering subtle, fleeting glimpses of orange zest and a tang of sea salt, though I would like just a little more weight on the finish. Give this a couple of years in bottle. |
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Coastal Region | 11 | 94 (TA) |
Inc. VAT
£160.84 |
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Tim Atkin MW (94)I did a double take when I realised this was the tenth vintage of Aristargos - 2010 seems like yesterday - but what a great and reliable wine it has become. Chenin-based with 50% Clairette, Semillon, Roussanne, Viognier, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc and Verdelho, it's wonderfully complex and layered, with pear, citrus and herbal notes, a hint of peach and a long, stony finish. 2021-27 |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 93 (TA) |
Inc. VAT
£139.24 |
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Tim Atkin MW (93)Seventeen vineyards, 25 pickings and no co-fermentation" says David Sadie of this tasty, complex cuvée of Chenin Blanc with 51% Roussanne, Semillon, Marsanne, Clairette, Viognier, Verdelho, Grenache Blanc and Colombard. Perfumed, focused and textured for a white with just 12.5% alcohol, it's waxy, subtle and nuanced, with citrus, apple and nectarine flavours and very little oak. 2021-26 |
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Coastal Region | 3 | - |
Inc. VAT
£293.38 |
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Coastal Region | 5 | - |
Inc. VAT
£174.29 |
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Coastal Region | 4 | 92+ (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£170.44 |
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Vinous (92+)The 2016 Elpidios is a blend of red Rhône varieties, although with new vineyard plantings there is more Carignan. It includes 30% to 50% whole bunches and was matured in used French oak for 12 months, and another 12 months in bottle. It has a backward bouquet at first that opens with time, but it is very well defined, featuring blackberry, clove, bay leaf and white pepper, very understated in style but gaining clarity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannin, quite insistent in terms of grip, and possesses fine backbone courtesy of the Carignan on the slightly ferrous finish. Excellent. |
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Coastal Region | 4 | 93 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£174.29 |
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Vinous (93)The 2017 Elpidios spends an extra year in bottle compared to Sadie’s other wines. For the first year, the blend is based on Grenache (31%), plus 30% Syrah, 19% Carignan, 10% Cinsault and 10% Pinotage, with around 50% whole bunch across the range, matured in 500-liter barrels and foudres. It offers cranberry and pomegranate scents on the deep, broody nose; tertiary/undergrowth notes originate from the whole-bunch addition. The palate is medium-bodied with dark cherry, hoisin and light black pepper notes from the Carignan. This is fresh and vibrant, not powerful or deep, yet perfectly proportioned toward the finish. Very fine, and it should drink with about a year in bottle. |
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Coastal Region | 4 | 94 (TA) |
Inc. VAT
£160.84 |
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Tim Atkin MW (94)Made in the last of the so-called drought vintages, this stylish red assemblage has been Grenache-led since 2017, with 62% Syrah, Pinotage, Carignan and Cinsault completing the picture. Grippy, firm and stony, with 50% whole bunch spices, a waft of rose petal and tangy red cherry, plum and redcurrant fruit. 2022-28 |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 93+ (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£198.04 |
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Wine Advocate (93+)Composed of 38% Grenache, 36% Syrah, 10% Cinsault, 9% Carignan and 7% Pinotage, the 2020 Elpidios comes from 12 different vineyards and was made from 50% whole-cluster fruit. On the nose, the wine offers soft herbal hints of mint and menthol with a delightful undertone of wild brush before swaying with a red-fruited nature and delicate dusty essence. Medium-bodied and with 13.5% alcohol, the wine is juicy and mineral on the palate and offers delightful herbal essences across the structured mid-palate. The wine glides to a delightfully minty finish that will remain food-friendly for over a decade. Give it at least one more year in the bottle, and decant for at least 30 minutes before enjoying. |
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Coastal Region | 4 | 96 (TA) |
Inc. VAT
£410.44 |
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Tim Atkin MW (96)One of a trio of world-class single site Chenin Blancs from David and Nadie Sadie (no relation to Eben, by the way), this hails from a two-hectare vineyard that was planted in 1968 and is often picked late. Completing full malolactic - such is the acidity in the grapes - this is leesy, focused and taut, with some ferrous grip and a textured palate. 2021-29 |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 96 (TA) |
Inc. VAT
£397.24 |
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Tim Atkin MW (96)Hoë-Steen comes from a 1968 vineyard to the west of Malmesbury on deep red iron and clay-rich soils. Broader and richer than the other single site Chenins from the Sadies, with some ferrous grip, fine oak integration, pear, cream and stone fruit flavours and a taut finish. |
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Coastal Region | 3 | 94 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£451.49 |
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Vinous (94)The name of the maiden 2018 Plat’bos (“low bush”) indicates the kind of vines it comes from, lying in a vineyard adjacent to the Skaliekop on pure granite soils. It has a unapologetically silty, stony bouquet, very reserved and austere yet with an enthralling intensity that seems almost paradoxical. The palate is very well balanced. Perhaps one of the most concentrated of David and Nadia Sadie’s wines, it reveals a crescendo of flavors, with tangerine, citrus peel, stem ginger and a touch of rhubarb toward the persistent finish. This is another impressive Chenin from this producer. |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 98 (TA) |
Inc. VAT
£466.84 |
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Tim Atkin MW (98)David & Nadia Sadie are now part of an elite group of South African Chenin Blanc producers, making world-class wines on a consistent basis. This is my favourite of their trio of single vineyard wines in 2019, sourced from a 3.9-hectare site on granite soils on the Paardeberg. Tight, taut and floral, with comparatively low alcohol, mouth-watering freshness, precision and acidity, notes of fennel, apple and gunflint and a lingering finish. A Cape Grand Cru. 2021-32 |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 98 (TA) |
Inc. VAT
£403.24 |
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Tim Atkin MW (98)One of the great whites of the southern hemisphere, not just of South Africa, this is the Montrachet of Chenin Blanc. Made with three different pickings from the top part of the Paardebosch farm, it has the concentration of its 40-year-old vines, mouth-watering acidity and pH, chiselled freshness and layers of rock salt, aromatic spices, pear and lemongrass. |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 96 (CE) |
Inc. VAT
£608.44 |
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Christian Eedes (96)Grapes from a 1984 vineyard on iron-rich gravel situated in one of the more arid parts of the Swartland. 40% matured in concrete egg. A hint of reduction precedes dried herbs, white peach, citrus and melon while the palate has great purity, bright acidity and a pithy finish. Not without weight and texture despite an alcohol of just 12.5%. |
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Coastal Region | 3 | 93 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£434.69 |
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Vinous (93)The 2018 Skaliekop comes from shale soils in the Paaderberg subregion, the Chenin Blanc vines planted in 1985. It is blessed with a very aromatic bouquet of pressed white flowers and jasmine; a little honeysuckle emerges with time. The palate is fresh on the entry with a fine bead of acidity. This is understated and very well balanced, and quite reminiscent of Chris Alheit’s style of winemaking. A delicious tang of sea salt appears toward the finish. One of those wines where the adage “more is better” is surely apt. |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 96 (TA) |
Inc. VAT
£325.24 |
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Tim Atkin MW (96)Skaliekop is a shallow shale site on the Paardebosch farm that benefited from the addition of moisture-retaining mulch in 2019. Yeasty, leesy and broader than the other two single vineyard Sadie Chenins, this has notes of citrus peel and beeswax, plenty of weight and a stony finish. 2021-29 |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 98 (CE) |
Inc. VAT
£608.44 |
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Christian Eedes (98)Grapes from a 1985 vineyard on shallow shale. Pretty aromatics of hay, potpourri and dried herbs before lime and white peach. The palate is crystalline in structure – great clarity of fruit and zippy acidity before an extremely long and dry finish. Poised and super-intricate, this is just about pitch perfect. |
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Coastal Region | 2 | - |
Inc. VAT
£239.09 |
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Coastal Region | 4 | 92 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£187.49 |
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Vinous (92)The 2018 Chenin Blanc comes from seven vineyards, the vines planted between 1962 and 1982 (and therefore eligible for the “Old Vine Project”). It has a lovely bouquet of apricot blossom, white peach, pine nuts and orange pith, the latter becoming more pronounced with aeration. The palate is well balanced with a smooth, rounded texture. This is a slightly richer Chenin Blanc from Sadie, yet still very well balanced. Nashi pear and clementine notes appear toward the elegant, almost understated finish. Top-class. Just 5,000 bottles. |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 94 (TA) |
Inc. VAT
£175.24 |
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Tim Atkin MW (94)This is "just" the basic Chenin Blanc from David and Nadia Sadie, but it's better than most wineries' single vineyard releases. Made with fruit from seven sites, all of them old vines, it's a focused, linear, Paardeberg-dominated style with mealy, citrus flavours, some lanolin and piercing freshness. 2021-27 |
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Coastal Region | 3 | 94 (TA) |
Inc. VAT
£172.84 |
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Tim Atkin MW (94)This is "just" the basic Chenin Blanc from David and Nadia Sadie, but it's better than many people's top wine. Made with fruit from seven vineyards, four of them on decomposed granite, this is a classy, understated white with negligible oak, layered citrus and beeswax flavours, a hint of aniseed and stony grip. 2022-28 |
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Coastal Region | 4 | 93 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£187.49 |
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Vinous (93)The 2017 Grenache comes from two dry-farmed vineyards and saw three-and-a-half weeks’ skin contact, including 30% to 50% whole bunches, the remainder destemmed but not crushed, then matured in used oak for 12 months. It has a perfumed bouquet of mineral-rich cranberry and crushed strawberry aromas, very detailed and focused. The harmonious palate is medium-bodied, with sappy red berry fruit laced with white pepper and clove, leading into a natural, white-pepper-infused finish that lingers in the mouth. Classic Swartland Grenache. |
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Coastal Region | 4 | 92 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£279.89 |
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Vinous (92)The 2018 Grenache includes 60% whole bunches and comes from two main sites, on iron and granite soils. It has a lovely, very pure bouquet of red cherries, crushed strawberry, pressed flowers and wild hedgerow, all extremely natural and well defined. The palate is fresh on the entry, offering plenty of crunchy fruit and oddly reminiscent of an artisan Beaujolais. The light but energetic, tensile finish has just enough dryness to encourage another sip. Very fine. |
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Coastal Region | 14 | 17 (JR) |
Inc. VAT
£172.84 |
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Jancis Robinson (17)Very pale ruby indeed – an extremely distinctive pallor. Delicately sweet, fruity nose that would not be out of place in, say, Auxey-Duresses. Then a hint of gaminess and some light graininess that I associate with concrete. Wonderfully ethereal delicacy that positively dances on the palate. This seems absolutely ready now but has substance and persistence so should be no fly-by-night. Extremely playful, but be careful not to serve it with food that's too powerful. Not our merguez sausages planned for tonight, methinks. This would respond well to light chilling and shellfish or chicken. |
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| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Cape South Coast | 1 | - |
In Bond
£211.00 |
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Cape South Coast | 1 | - |
In Bond
£180.00 |
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Western Cape | 1 | - |
In Bond
£139.00 |
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|
A slightly more savoury and distinctly Burgundian expression featuring enhanced earthiness from cloves and tree bark. The red fruits are here in abundance, most notably wild strawberries and rhubarb, while there is a red apple skin quality to the tannins. The finish is all crushed mulberries and salted cherries, adding a moreish finish, which makes the wine dangerously drinkable in spite of its ageing potential.
More Info
|
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|
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Coastal Region | 3 | - |
In Bond
£338.00 |
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|
Emanating from the heritage-rich soils of the Western Cape, South Africa, the 'Damascene Chenin Blanc 2021' is a true embodiment of meticulous winemaking. Jean Daneel, renowned fine wine producer, harnesses his unyielding passion to create this unparalleled Chenin Blanc. Matured in French oak barrels, the wine possesses a remarkable balance of oaky nuances and fruity zest. The 'Damascene Chenin Blanc 2021' enchants connoisseurs with a sublime golden hue, encapsulating enthralling aromas of apple, white peach, and honeyed pear. The energetic palate springs forth a lucid acidity that impeccably counters the plump fruit depth, culminating in a lingering mineral finish. Handpicked, foot-trodden, and crafted from bush vines aged 38-54 years, this multi-dimensional wine bespeaks its terroir. The 'Damascene Chenin Blanc 2021' succeeds in encapsulating the rich characteristics of old-world winemaking, while embracing the allure of new-age innovation. A sheer display of masterful craftsmanship, the 'Damascene Chenin Blanc 2021' is poised to be etched in the annals of fine wine lore. |
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Coastal Region | 5 | 92 (VN) |
In Bond
£126.00 |
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Vinous (92)The 2017 Aristargos is a blend of several white varieties from 14 different vineyards that includes Marsanne for the first time. It is whole-bunch-pressed, with the Sémillon kept on its skins for a few days and then matured in 300-liter used barrels for 12 months. It has a vivacious bouquet of yellow plum, mirabelle and jasmine aromas, all wonderfully defined. The palate is well balanced with a waxy texture and notes of stone fruit, sesame, walnut and orange peel . A very subtle flor-like element lends tension on finish. Superb. |
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Coastal Region | 3 | 91 (VN) |
In Bond
£126.00 |
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Vinous (91)The 2018 Aristargos is a blend of 53% Chenin Blanc, 13% Clairette, 13% Sémillon with some skin contact, 10% Roussanne, 2% Marsanne and 9% Viognier, from a mixture of old and younger vines from across 14 vineyards, matured in neutral oak for 11 months. It has a complex bouquet of nectarine, desiccated orange peel, grilled hazelnuts and a touch of almond. The palate is fresh on the entry with a fine bead of acidity and quite neutral in style, offering subtle, fleeting glimpses of orange zest and a tang of sea salt, though I would like just a little more weight on the finish. Give this a couple of years in bottle. |
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Coastal Region | 11 | 94 (TA) |
In Bond
£118.00 |
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Tim Atkin MW (94)I did a double take when I realised this was the tenth vintage of Aristargos - 2010 seems like yesterday - but what a great and reliable wine it has become. Chenin-based with 50% Clairette, Semillon, Roussanne, Viognier, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc and Verdelho, it's wonderfully complex and layered, with pear, citrus and herbal notes, a hint of peach and a long, stony finish. 2021-27 |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 93 (TA) |
In Bond
£100.00 |
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Tim Atkin MW (93)Seventeen vineyards, 25 pickings and no co-fermentation" says David Sadie of this tasty, complex cuvée of Chenin Blanc with 51% Roussanne, Semillon, Marsanne, Clairette, Viognier, Verdelho, Grenache Blanc and Colombard. Perfumed, focused and textured for a white with just 12.5% alcohol, it's waxy, subtle and nuanced, with citrus, apple and nectarine flavours and very little oak. 2021-26 |
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Coastal Region | 3 | - |
In Bond
£206.00 |
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Coastal Region | 5 | - |
In Bond
£126.00 |
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Coastal Region | 4 | 92+ (VN) |
In Bond
£126.00 |
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Vinous (92+)The 2016 Elpidios is a blend of red Rhône varieties, although with new vineyard plantings there is more Carignan. It includes 30% to 50% whole bunches and was matured in used French oak for 12 months, and another 12 months in bottle. It has a backward bouquet at first that opens with time, but it is very well defined, featuring blackberry, clove, bay leaf and white pepper, very understated in style but gaining clarity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannin, quite insistent in terms of grip, and possesses fine backbone courtesy of the Carignan on the slightly ferrous finish. Excellent. |
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Coastal Region | 4 | 93 (VN) |
In Bond
£126.00 |
|||||
Vinous (93)The 2017 Elpidios spends an extra year in bottle compared to Sadie’s other wines. For the first year, the blend is based on Grenache (31%), plus 30% Syrah, 19% Carignan, 10% Cinsault and 10% Pinotage, with around 50% whole bunch across the range, matured in 500-liter barrels and foudres. It offers cranberry and pomegranate scents on the deep, broody nose; tertiary/undergrowth notes originate from the whole-bunch addition. The palate is medium-bodied with dark cherry, hoisin and light black pepper notes from the Carignan. This is fresh and vibrant, not powerful or deep, yet perfectly proportioned toward the finish. Very fine, and it should drink with about a year in bottle. |
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|
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Coastal Region | 4 | 94 (TA) |
In Bond
£118.00 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (94)Made in the last of the so-called drought vintages, this stylish red assemblage has been Grenache-led since 2017, with 62% Syrah, Pinotage, Carignan and Cinsault completing the picture. Grippy, firm and stony, with 50% whole bunch spices, a waft of rose petal and tangy red cherry, plum and redcurrant fruit. 2022-28 |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 93+ (WA) |
In Bond
£149.00 |
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Wine Advocate (93+)Composed of 38% Grenache, 36% Syrah, 10% Cinsault, 9% Carignan and 7% Pinotage, the 2020 Elpidios comes from 12 different vineyards and was made from 50% whole-cluster fruit. On the nose, the wine offers soft herbal hints of mint and menthol with a delightful undertone of wild brush before swaying with a red-fruited nature and delicate dusty essence. Medium-bodied and with 13.5% alcohol, the wine is juicy and mineral on the palate and offers delightful herbal essences across the structured mid-palate. The wine glides to a delightfully minty finish that will remain food-friendly for over a decade. Give it at least one more year in the bottle, and decant for at least 30 minutes before enjoying. |
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Coastal Region | 4 | 96 (TA) |
In Bond
£326.00 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (96)One of a trio of world-class single site Chenin Blancs from David and Nadie Sadie (no relation to Eben, by the way), this hails from a two-hectare vineyard that was planted in 1968 and is often picked late. Completing full malolactic - such is the acidity in the grapes - this is leesy, focused and taut, with some ferrous grip and a textured palate. 2021-29 |
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|
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Coastal Region | 1 | 96 (TA) |
In Bond
£315.00 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (96)Hoë-Steen comes from a 1968 vineyard to the west of Malmesbury on deep red iron and clay-rich soils. Broader and richer than the other single site Chenins from the Sadies, with some ferrous grip, fine oak integration, pear, cream and stone fruit flavours and a taut finish. |
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|
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Coastal Region | 3 | 94 (VN) |
In Bond
£357.00 |
|||||
Vinous (94)The name of the maiden 2018 Plat’bos (“low bush”) indicates the kind of vines it comes from, lying in a vineyard adjacent to the Skaliekop on pure granite soils. It has a unapologetically silty, stony bouquet, very reserved and austere yet with an enthralling intensity that seems almost paradoxical. The palate is very well balanced. Perhaps one of the most concentrated of David and Nadia Sadie’s wines, it reveals a crescendo of flavors, with tangerine, citrus peel, stem ginger and a touch of rhubarb toward the persistent finish. This is another impressive Chenin from this producer. |
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|
|
Coastal Region | 1 | 98 (TA) |
In Bond
£373.00 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (98)David & Nadia Sadie are now part of an elite group of South African Chenin Blanc producers, making world-class wines on a consistent basis. This is my favourite of their trio of single vineyard wines in 2019, sourced from a 3.9-hectare site on granite soils on the Paardeberg. Tight, taut and floral, with comparatively low alcohol, mouth-watering freshness, precision and acidity, notes of fennel, apple and gunflint and a lingering finish. A Cape Grand Cru. 2021-32 |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 98 (TA) |
In Bond
£320.00 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (98)One of the great whites of the southern hemisphere, not just of South Africa, this is the Montrachet of Chenin Blanc. Made with three different pickings from the top part of the Paardebosch farm, it has the concentration of its 40-year-old vines, mouth-watering acidity and pH, chiselled freshness and layers of rock salt, aromatic spices, pear and lemongrass. |
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|
|
Coastal Region | 1 | 96 (CE) |
In Bond
£491.00 |
|||||
Christian Eedes (96)Grapes from a 1984 vineyard on iron-rich gravel situated in one of the more arid parts of the Swartland. 40% matured in concrete egg. A hint of reduction precedes dried herbs, white peach, citrus and melon while the palate has great purity, bright acidity and a pithy finish. Not without weight and texture despite an alcohol of just 12.5%. |
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|
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Coastal Region | 3 | 93 (VN) |
In Bond
£343.00 |
|||||
Vinous (93)The 2018 Skaliekop comes from shale soils in the Paaderberg subregion, the Chenin Blanc vines planted in 1985. It is blessed with a very aromatic bouquet of pressed white flowers and jasmine; a little honeysuckle emerges with time. The palate is fresh on the entry with a fine bead of acidity. This is understated and very well balanced, and quite reminiscent of Chris Alheit’s style of winemaking. A delicious tang of sea salt appears toward the finish. One of those wines where the adage “more is better” is surely apt. |
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|
|
Coastal Region | 1 | 96 (TA) |
In Bond
£255.00 |
|||||
Tim Atkin MW (96)Skaliekop is a shallow shale site on the Paardebosch farm that benefited from the addition of moisture-retaining mulch in 2019. Yeasty, leesy and broader than the other two single vineyard Sadie Chenins, this has notes of citrus peel and beeswax, plenty of weight and a stony finish. 2021-29 |
|||||||||
|
|
Coastal Region | 1 | 98 (CE) |
In Bond
£491.00 |
|||||
Christian Eedes (98)Grapes from a 1985 vineyard on shallow shale. Pretty aromatics of hay, potpourri and dried herbs before lime and white peach. The palate is crystalline in structure – great clarity of fruit and zippy acidity before an extremely long and dry finish. Poised and super-intricate, this is just about pitch perfect. |
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Coastal Region | 2 | - |
In Bond
£180.00 |
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Coastal Region | 4 | 92 (VN) |
In Bond
£137.00 |
|||||
Vinous (92)The 2018 Chenin Blanc comes from seven vineyards, the vines planted between 1962 and 1982 (and therefore eligible for the “Old Vine Project”). It has a lovely bouquet of apricot blossom, white peach, pine nuts and orange pith, the latter becoming more pronounced with aeration. The palate is well balanced with a smooth, rounded texture. This is a slightly richer Chenin Blanc from Sadie, yet still very well balanced. Nashi pear and clementine notes appear toward the elegant, almost understated finish. Top-class. Just 5,000 bottles. |
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Coastal Region | 1 | 94 (TA) |
In Bond
£130.00 |
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Tim Atkin MW (94)This is "just" the basic Chenin Blanc from David and Nadia Sadie, but it's better than most wineries' single vineyard releases. Made with fruit from seven sites, all of them old vines, it's a focused, linear, Paardeberg-dominated style with mealy, citrus flavours, some lanolin and piercing freshness. 2021-27 |
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Coastal Region | 3 | 94 (TA) |
In Bond
£128.00 |
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Tim Atkin MW (94)This is "just" the basic Chenin Blanc from David and Nadia Sadie, but it's better than many people's top wine. Made with fruit from seven vineyards, four of them on decomposed granite, this is a classy, understated white with negligible oak, layered citrus and beeswax flavours, a hint of aniseed and stony grip. 2022-28 |
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Coastal Region | 4 | 93 (VN) |
In Bond
£137.00 |
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Vinous (93)The 2017 Grenache comes from two dry-farmed vineyards and saw three-and-a-half weeks’ skin contact, including 30% to 50% whole bunches, the remainder destemmed but not crushed, then matured in used oak for 12 months. It has a perfumed bouquet of mineral-rich cranberry and crushed strawberry aromas, very detailed and focused. The harmonious palate is medium-bodied, with sappy red berry fruit laced with white pepper and clove, leading into a natural, white-pepper-infused finish that lingers in the mouth. Classic Swartland Grenache. |
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Coastal Region | 4 | 92 (VN) |
In Bond
£214.00 |
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Vinous (92)The 2018 Grenache includes 60% whole bunches and comes from two main sites, on iron and granite soils. It has a lovely, very pure bouquet of red cherries, crushed strawberry, pressed flowers and wild hedgerow, all extremely natural and well defined. The palate is fresh on the entry, offering plenty of crunchy fruit and oddly reminiscent of an artisan Beaujolais. The light but energetic, tensile finish has just enough dryness to encourage another sip. Very fine. |
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Coastal Region | 14 | 17 (JR) |
In Bond
£128.00 |
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Jancis Robinson (17)Very pale ruby indeed – an extremely distinctive pallor. Delicately sweet, fruity nose that would not be out of place in, say, Auxey-Duresses. Then a hint of gaminess and some light graininess that I associate with concrete. Wonderfully ethereal delicacy that positively dances on the palate. This seems absolutely ready now but has substance and persistence so should be no fly-by-night. Extremely playful, but be careful not to serve it with food that's too powerful. Not our merguez sausages planned for tonight, methinks. This would respond well to light chilling and shellfish or chicken. |
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One of the best things about wine is its limitless nature.
Even professionals with 30 years under their belt come across new regions and new varietals all the time – it is the passion/hobby/profession that just keeps on giving. If you have not yet experienced the profound Gruners or Rieslings from Austria, the sweet nectar that is Tokaji from Hungary, the precise and terroir driven German Rieslings with unrivalled drinkability, the wild and sometimes bloody reds of Portugal, or any other of the beauties found off the beaten track, you are in for a treat. For wine can transport you to another place and time just by popping the cork, and there is a whole world full to discover.
