THE SADIE FAMILY WINES Soldaat 2023

Grenache

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.

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.

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. This 2023 Soldaat displays the usual red cherry and strawberry fruit aromas that carry through into deeper earthy flavours. This year, the colour is slightly darker but still bright red, and the tannins are more textured and compact. The fruit is overall quite expressive, and the mouthfeel of the more compact tannins suggests that this vintage will age well and the wine will gain massive complexity with time in the bottle. The underlying dormant secondary flavours are well knitted together with the acidity.

96P. Tim Atkin