The Sadie Family Treinspoor 2023

Treinspoor is an organic red from The Sadie Family, the Swartland estate founded in 1999 by Eben Sadie, in South Africa's Coastal Region. It is a single-varietal wine from Tinta Barroca, a Portuguese grape better known from the Douro, here grown in the warm, dry Swartland. The vineyards sit on weathered granite and schist soils that drain freely and limit vigour, giving small, concentrated berries, while the heat is balanced by ocean-influenced breezes and cool nights that preserve freshness. Sadie works with minimal intervention and no additives, letting the fruit and the site speak. After fermentation the wine ages twelve months in French oak barrels and a further three months in tank, the gentle oak handling adding structure and a little spice without covering the fruit, while malolactic fermentation rounds the texture. The moderate alcohol of 13 per cent keeps it light on its feet. The wine is bright, medium-deep red. The nose shows red berry and plum fruit, black pepper and wild herbs over an earthy, faintly smoky base. The palate is medium bodied and fresh, with fine tannins, bright acidity and a long, savoury finish. Serve at 16 to 17 degrees with grilled meats or game.