Vineyards Location: Paardeberg (14 vineyards) , Piketberg (1 vineyard), St Helena Bay (2 vineyards)

Grapes: Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Clairette Blanche, Viognier, Verdelho, Roussanne, Marsanne, Semillon Gris, Semillon Blanc, Palomino, Colombard, Grillo, Assyrtiko, Grenache Blanc & Verdelho

Ageing: 12 months amphora & concrete, 12 months old foudre

Soils: Weathered Granite & – Sandstone formations & Limestone soils on the Coast

VINIFICATION | The grapes are picked across a great many vineyards and taken into our cold room on arrival at the cellar. The next day the grapes are sorted and the whole bunches go into the press. The pressing lasts 2 – 3 hours and in that period a margin of settling of the juice takes place in the collecting tank. The turbid juice is then transferred to concrete eggs of 725 litres and 400 – 1200 litre clay amphoras for the next stage of natural fermentation.

The fermentation temperatures in the clay amphorae and the concrete eggs are very constant and we only control the ambient temperature at around 18 degrees throughout the season. Each wine basically ferments in its own time – in some cases it may take up to 18 months – and every vineyard is fermented in the same vessel every year.

AGEING | The Palladius matures in these vessels for 12 months and is then racked off into big old foudres for an additional 12 months ageing prior to bottling. After two years the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered.

NOTES | Over the past 7 years Palladius has been the wine that grew the most in quality and refinement and much of this has to do with the addition of more vineyards and the improvement of their viticulture. Currently of all our wines, the Palladius, with 17 vineyards, obviously represents the biggest canvas of the Swartland.

In 2023, Palladius displays an incredibly bright colour for a wine from 24 months of ageing. The inclusion of more acidic and lower alcohol-driven varieties has contributed much to the increased freshness of the resulting wine. This vintage displays a lime zesty and green apple entry of aromatics and a line of salinity that stretches throughout. On the palate, the tannins present themselves incredibly refined and balanced, intertwined with fresh acidity and a long-lasting aftertaste. Potentially, the wine of the vintage!

As always, it is suggested to age this wine for a minimum of 4 – 6 years.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Yield 30 hl/ha

Alcohol 13,5 %

Residual Sugar 1,7 g/L

pH 3,21

Total Acidity 5,8 g/L

Total Sulphur 90 mg/L

Data Sheet:

https://thesadiefamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Palladius-2023.pdf