Location: Swartland – Paardeberg

Grapes: Chenin Blanc – Steen (South African Synonym)

Ageing: 12 months in foudre

Soils: Weathered granite on a shallow granite shelf

VINIFICATION | After harvesting, the grapes are placed in a cooling room to reduce the temperature since the average temperatures are often 35 degrees or more – pressing warm grapes comes with its series of problems. We then do whole bunch pressing, a process that takes about 3 hours, during which time there is a margin of settling of the juice in the collecting tank. The juice is then transferred to two old foudres for fermentation.

AGEING | The wine is left in a cask on the fermentation lees for the first 12 months, and we bottle from the lees. Only about 60ppm of sulphur is added two weeks before bottling.

NOTES | The Rotsbank vineyard is located in the Paardeberg in the Aprilskloof on a rock shelf that barely has 30 – 50 cm of soil in most parts. It is incredible to think that this vineyard survives year after year. Many of the roots in the soil have found cracks in this rock shelf, and the limited natural growth of this vineyard makes for incredibly concentrated fruit. Since 2008 we have wanted to produce a Swartland Chenin Blanc, but the 2022 vintage materialised as the first after we were very fortunate to purchase the vineyard.

This 2024 Rotsbank bottling displays gunflint and seaweed aromas with tropical granadilla secondary flavours. There is a line of green tea, and the tannin dries out at the end of the palate. This year is marked by incredible length and elegance on the palate. It is one of the wines that can be slightly reduced and shy on release, and we recommend that the wine be allowed to aerate if opened early. It is a very linear and firm style of Chenin.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Yield 32 hl/ha

Alcohol 13,5 %

Residual Sugar 1,8 g/L

pH 3,08

Total Acidity 6,1 g/L

Total Sulphur 90 mg/L

Data Sheet:

https://thesadiefamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Rotsbank-2024.pdf