2013 Eben Sadie, Sequillo White, Swartland

Eben Sadie's 2013 Sequillo White is a fascinating blend of Chenin Blanc, Clairette Blanche, Viognier, Verdelho and Palomino, grown on granite and gravel soils on the Paardeberg Mountain. The nose is restrained with honeyed apricots coming through and a hint of creme brûlée. The palate is weighty and rich with the intensity of sweet old vine fruit coming through; it is reminiscent of an Alsace Grand Cru wine in its weight and power, almost tasting sweet but with a dry finish.

Ripe yellow apples, pears and white peach come through on the palate, complemented by a touch of bitter almond from the Verdelho. There is a savoury, toasty element in the background from extended lees-ageing and a superb seam of minerality cuts right through the centre. The long, mineral finish  of bitter almonds and pears is both powerful and cleansing, fresh and completely dry. This is a wine that is about so much more than fruit. Its power is undeniable. It is intense and complex – a wine to be contemplated, and one that deserves fine food to match (lobster springs to mind).

2013 is the first year that the grapes have been fermented together, lending an additional harmony and integration to the wine. Winemaking takes place with as little intervention as possible with natural yeasts in large old oak foudres. The average yield for this vintage is very low, at 18-24hl/ha. This is another superb wine from the undisputed master of terroir expression in South Africa, Eben Sadie. Sadly, availability is limited.
Catriona Felstead MW, New World Buyer