Sadie Family : Treinspoor Tinta Barroca 2023

Tasting characteristics and advice for the Treinspoor Tinta Barroca 2023 from Sadie Family

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays a ruby hue with garnet highlights and a bright rim.

Nose

The nose reveals aromatic complexity, marked by concentrated, elegant aromas of vibrant red fruits, violet and spice. Signature notes of freshly turned earth complete this expressive aromatic profile, typical of the tinta barroca grape variety.

Palate

The attack is structured and solid, driven by firm, tightly knit tannins. Medium-bodied, the wine shows great energy and freshness, with dominant flavors of lively red fruits intertwined with earthy notes. The pronounced tannic framework is matched by bright acidity, ensuring remarkable balance. The finish lingers with brilliance and vibrancy.

Food and wine pairings

This Treinspoor Tinta Barroca 2023 pairs perfectly with braised pork cheek, roast lamb, beef tenderloin, or stuffed vegetables.

Serving and cellaring

The Treinspoor Tinta Barroca 2023 is best enjoyed at a temperature between 16 and 18°C. This wine has exceptional aging potential and can be cellared until around 2033, or even beyond.

An exceptional tinta barroca from South African Swartland

The estate

Founded in 1999 by Eben Sadie with his brother and sister, The Sadie Family has, in two decades, established itself as the emblematic wine estate of Swartland in South Africa’s Western Cape. Eben Sadie, a charismatic and visionary figure recognized among the essential personalities in the world of wine, now leads this estate, which has transformed the image of the region. Drawing on international experience gained in Europe, he crafts outstanding wines from vineyards farmed sustainably, without irrigation, notably highlighting plots of old vines on granite soils.

The vineyard

The vineyard from which Treinspoor comes is located 4 kilometers from Malmesbury in Swartland, near a disused railway line that gave the cuvée its name. Covering 2.8 hectares at 135 meters above sea level, the tinta barroca vines were planted in 1974. They grow on decomposed granite soils and Table Mountain sand. The vineyard benefits from a warm Mediterranean climate. Farmed sustainably with a low-intervention approach and without irrigation, this terroir enables nearly fifty-year-old vines to fully express their character.

The vintage

The 2023 vintage in the Western Cape benefited from favorable climatic conditions, allowing the old tinta barroca vines to reach optimal ripeness while preserving lovely freshness and remarkable natural acidity.

Winemaking and aging

The Treinspoor Tinta Barroca 2023 grapes are harvested by hand. Vinification uses 50% whole clusters, with maceration and fermentation in concrete tanks for 25 to 30 days using indigenous yeasts. Aging for this South African wine then takes place over 11 months in wooden vats. True to the estate’s philosophy, this wine is neither fined nor filtered, thereby preserving all its authenticity and aromatic complexity.

Grape variety

100% tinta barroca.