2024 Sadie Family Treinspoor

The 2024 Sadie Family Treinspoor is a characterful Swartland red that showcases the depth and individuality of Tinta Barocca in South African soil. Crafted by Eben Sadie, one of the country’s most influential winemakers, this wine balances old-world structure with the clarity and precision of thoughtful, low-intervention winemaking. Named after the old railway line (“treinspoor”) that runs alongside the vineyard, it captures both a sense of place and a nod to history in every bottle.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2024 Treinspoor typically shows a deep ruby to garnet hue, with a slightly translucent rim that hints at its freshness and elegance rather than sheer power. On the nose, expect dark, brooding aromatics of black cherry, plum skin and bramble layered with dried herbs, cracked pepper, violets, and a subtle earthy, almost iron-like minerality that is very true to Swartland’s old bush vines. The palate tends to be medium-bodied yet firmly structured, with lively acidity and grippy, fine-grained tannins giving the wine a distinctive, almost classical profile. Flavours of blackberries, mulberries and cherry mingle with notes of tobacco leaf, cocoa nibs, dried orange peel and a savoury, graphite-like edge. While it can be enjoyed in its youth for its energy and purity, Treinspoor is built to evolve: with proper cellaring, it should gain further complexity and softness over 8–12 years, developing more tertiary notes of leather, forest floor and exotic spice.

Production
Treinspoor is sourced from old, dry-farmed bush vines rooted in Swartland’s decomposed granite and gravelly soils, with pockets of clay that help retain precious moisture in this warm, windswept region. Yields are naturally low, and harvesting is done by hand to ensure that only perfectly ripe, healthy bunches make it into the cellar. In line with Sadie Family’s minimalist philosophy, the grapes are usually partially or fully destemmed depending on the vintage, then fermented with indigenous yeasts in concrete or open-top vats, with gentle extraction to preserve finesse rather than brute force. Maturation typically takes place in older, neutral oak barrels or large casks to allow the wine’s varietal character and terroir to shine without overt wood influence, and only minimal fining and filtration, if any, are used before bottling.

Food & Serving
This is a versatile food wine that pairs beautifully with dishes that echo its savoury, herbal side and can handle its structure. Think slow-braised lamb shank with rosemary, grilled ribeye, pork shoulder, duck confit, or game birds, as well as earthy vegetarian plates like mushroom risotto, lentil stews, grilled aubergine and hard, aged cheeses. Serve at 16–18°C (60–64°F) to keep the fruit fresh and the tannins in check. A gentle decant of 45–60 minutes will help the wine open up in its youth, softening the edges and bringing out the floral and spice notes.

Producer
Sadie Family Wines, founded by Eben Sadie in the early 2000s, has become one of South Africa’s most respected and influential producers, often credited with helping to redefine the potential of Swartland. Working primarily with old, dry-farmed bush vines scattered across the region, Sadie has championed a terroir-driven, low-intervention approach that favours balance, authenticity and ageworthiness over sheer power. His Columella and Palladius blends have achieved international acclaim, and the Ouwingerdreeks (Old Vine Series), of which Treinspoor is a key member, celebrates historically important, low-yielding vineyards across the Cape. Today, Sadie Family is seen as a benchmark for quality and integrity in South African wine, inspiring a new generation of producers in the region and beyond.

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