Sadie Family Soldaat 2024

The Sadie Family works in Swartland, South Africa, where Eben Sadie returned after years in Priorat to farm his native ground. Soldaat is made from old-vine Grenache planted at elevation, a spot bathed in light and cooled by breezes that Sadie chose for the variety. The decomposed granite and schist soils drain freely and keep yields low, while the wide gap between warm days and cool nights at altitude preserves acidity and the grape's delicate aromatics. The wine ages twelve months in oak barrels, where gentle oxygen exchange softens the light tannins and adds a savoury frame without weighing down the fruit. At 13 percent it stays fresh and pale. It pours a translucent ruby. The nose is fragrant and lifted, with red cherry, unripe strawberry and pomegranate over rose petal, white flowers and a peppery, earthy edge. The palate is light to medium bodied, the bright red fruit carried by fine, silky tannins and fresh acidity into a savoury, mineral finish. This is a precise, perfumed expression of Grenache. Serve at 15 to 16 degrees, with a light chill an option, alongside roast poultry or game birds.