Sadie Family Skurfberg 2021
This extraordinary 100% chenin blanc hails from South Africa’s northernmost wine region; the arid Citrusdal Mountain WO, on the west bank of the Olifants River. Specifically, the fruit is drawn from Basie van Lill’s 90-year-old, ungrafted bush vines on the decomposed, red sandstone slopes of the Skurfberg (which means ‘rigid mountain’). Planted between 1940 and 1955, these immaculately farmed vines have never been treated with herbicides or chemical fertilizers. “It is a truly great site for Chenin, and it is most unusual that such a warm and dry area still produces wines with this enormous texture and freshness,” says winemaker Eben Sadie.
The chenin is whole-bunch basket-pressed, then transferred to old casks for natural fermentation. Following 12 months on lees, the wine is blended, then returned to the same casks before being bottled directly from foudre. The result is a tension-fuelled wine that can easily stand up to the greatest chenins of the Loire—a wine of jaw-dropping texture, mineral energy and complexity. Sadie describes his 2021 as “... a great, compact and layered expression of Chenin Blanc. And the mineral expression, power and depth are very much the same as we have seen for the past three vintages.” It’s nothing less than stunning.
“Regular readers of this report will be familiar with my enthusiasm for this world-class Chenin Blanc from seven rows of Basie van Lill’s West Coast vineyard. Energetic, stony and slightly reductive, with flavours of peach, citrus and Cox’s apples, effortless old-vine concentration, chiselled minerality and some structure from skin tannins. 2023-30”
98 points, Tim Atkin MW, South Africa Report 2022.
“This has a beautiful bouquet with white flowers, almond and melted candle wax aromas that blossoms in the glass. The palate is very neutral in style, more a textural wine than one with overt flavours; light spicy notes emerge towards a finish that fans out with confidence. It magically gains depth and swagger with aeration - a magnificent wine - Chenin at the peak of its power.”
97 points, Neal Martin, Vinous.
"Spicy white florals burst from the glass of the 2021 Old Vine Series Skurfberg along with aromas of yellow apple skin, white spice tea and just-ripe peach. Medium-bodied, the wine possesses an impeccable frame with a juicy, just-ripe pomaceous character before somersaulting across the mid-palate, revealing excellent action with energetic acidity and wood flavors that leap for attention. The wine glides to a fantastic, lively and impressive finish with lingering flavors of spiced tea and popcorn kernel. Bravo!"
96 points, Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate.
| SKU | 2SADSKURF21 |
| Brand | Sadie Family Wines |
| Shipping Weight | 1.5000kg |
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