2023 Sadie Family "Treinspoor" Tinta Barocca Old Vines Series, Swartland, South Africa

ABOUT THIS WINE

Treinspoor (Afrikaans for “railway track”) comes from a dry-farmed vineyard planted in 1974 alongside an old rail line near the town of Malmesbury. The site’s decomposed granite and iron-rich clay soils, coupled with its age and inland elevation, produce a Tinta Barocca of exceptional complexity and structure—more reminiscent of traditional Dão or Douro reds than modern Swartland interpretations.

In the 2023 vintage, cooler conditions and a long ripening period delivered fruit with exceptional aromatic lift and balance. Grapes were hand-harvested and fermented with native yeasts, using gentle extraction and partial whole cluster to preserve detail and structure. The wine was aged in old foudres for 12 months, then bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal sulfur.

Tinta Barocca, once widely planted in the Cape for fortified wines, finds new expression here—earthy, floral, and textural. The 2023 Treinspoor is medium-bodied with a firm backbone, showing dark plum, dried lavender, and iron minerality, alongside fine-grained tannins and a subtle, old-vine depth. It’s a wine that rewards air and time, built more on structure and energy than fruit weight.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

The Sadie Family Wines, established by Eben Sadie in 1999, has played a defining role in South Africa’s modern wine revival. Known for a philosophy rooted in authenticity, sustainability, and minimalism, Sadie works with some of the oldest and most expressive vineyards in the Cape, particularly in the Swartland. His wines—both red and white—prioritize site over style and remain benchmarks for terroir-driven expression in the Southern Hemisphere.

The Old Vine Series (Ouwingerdreeks) was created to preserve and elevate historic vineyard sites, many planted between the 1920s and 1970s. These dry-farmed, bush-vine parcels are farmed without synthetic inputs and with a deep respect for soil health and biodiversity. In the cellar, Sadie uses native fermentation, gravity flow, and neutral aging vessels to ensure the wines speak clearly of their origin.

Tinta Barocca—a Portuguese variety historically used for bulk and fortified wines—has found new voice in Treinspoor. Under Sadie’s hands, it becomes something far more noble: a wine of precision, rustic charm, and old-vine gravitas.