Sadie Family Wines, Die Ouwingerdreeks, Treinspoor 2017
The further we get into this lockdown, the higher the quality of wines being opened.
An interesting side effect to this wine lockdown has been the willingness to open bottles of wine previously relegated to the 'to be aged' section of the wine rack. It's been fascinating (and terrifying) realising which wines I truly deem/recategorised as treasures. It has introduced the idea of drinking Sadie wines in their youth instead of hoarding them for better days to come.
The Wine:
Medium ruby and slightly hazy...probably should’ve decanted this. A medium nose of barnyard/gunpowder (that blows off after a while), potpourri, rose petals, red cherries, raspberries, kirsch, mace, light pepper, light anise/fennel seeds, leather and peppery charcuterie.
Dry, high acidity, medium powdery tannins, long savoury and meaty miso cherry finish. It’s definitely meaty in the mid palate. Red cherry, raspberry, salty umami miso, herbal nettle stems/fynbos and earth.
Vini + Viti:
Made from bush vines planted in 1974 in decomposed granite and sandstone 4 kilometres west of Malmesbury. Fermented in concrete. Matured for 12 months in concrete foudre. I feel confident in deducing that the wine was unfined. Possibly unfiltered...though I'd lean towards a rough filtration.
Conclusion:
Balance (1) + Length (1) + Intensity (½) + Complexity (1) = A very good wine
Drink now, but potential for further ageing.
Final Thoughts:
This is going to sound strange...and I hate myself a little for including this...but the finish leaves me with visions of dusty dry soils...the way that, after only a few hours walking in the Karoo, the dust clings to you and your clothing...it embeds itself into the creases of your leather boots and the wrinkles of your skin...it’s under your nails and rough polishing your teeth. And even though you don’t live there, a part of the place comes home with you...in your hair and under your car mat. Yup...definitely hating myself.
An interesting fact is that Tinta Barroca, spelled with 2 R's and 1 C, is the old South African spelling for the grape.
Another interesting tidbit is that the wine is named Treinspoor (Afrikaans for train line) as the vineyards are planted next to an old railway line.
Tasted on a Root Day according to the Biodynamic Calendar for the SH.
