Product Overview
Pedigree: Eben Sadie is one of the great winemakers of the world! He has made wine all over the world including stints in Priorat, Italy, Spain, Germany, Burgundy and others. He was honored with the title of Winemakers' Winemaker of the year for 2017 by the Institute of Masters of Wine. This places him in really elite company, amongst whom are Paul Draper, Anne-Claude Leflaive, Egon Muller, Alvaro Palacios and Angelo Gaja. Eben is passionately committed to terroir expression. He is the driving force behind the reemergence of South Africa's Swartland Region. Swartland, which is arguably the most exciting wine region in South Africa today, is a treasure trove of rescued and recovered old vines and formerly less fashionable grape varieties. Eben concentrates of Rhone varieties with others. The blends are tweaked every vintage.
Grape Varieties: Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Clairette Blanche, Viognier, Verdelho, Roussanne, Marsanne, Semillon Gris, Semillon Blanc, Palomino, Colombard.
Vinification: The vintage is hand sorted, berry by berry into small "strawberry" cases. The grapes are pressed in a traditional basket press and the juice is run off directly to clay amphorae and concrete eggs. Fermentation is spontaneous and no additives are used. Fermentation finishes in its own time - in some cases this may take up to 20 months.
Ageing: The Palladius matures for 12 months in these vessels and is then racked into big, old foudres for a further 12 months prior to bottling. After 2 years, the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Analysis:
Alcohol: 13.39%
Residual Sugar 1.7g/l
pH 3.13
Total Acidity 6.5g/l
Total Sulfites 88 mg/l
Tasting Notes:
Color: Pale but definite yellow, bright, hints of green.
Bouquet: Stone fruit and peach skin aromas with hints of currant and green apples.
Palate: Palate is redolent of the nose. It is full bodied and complex with energy and verve. There is a minerally saltiness with slight honey and lime undertones on the long, authoritative finish.
When to Drink: Drink now through 2024
Serving Temperature: 50°F - 55°F
Food Pairing: A very special wine for that very special meal; a beautiful veal chop say or Duck a l'Orange.
