2014 Palladius

A blend from a total of 13 vineyards on Paardeberg granite and four vineyards on sandstone of Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Clairette Blanche, Viognier, Verdelho, Roussanne, Marsanne, Sémillon Gris, a mix of Sémillon Blanc and Palomino and, for the first time, 11% Colombard. Hand-sorted grapes are pressed in a traditional basket press and the juice run off directly to clay amphorae, concrete eggs and some old oak foudres for 24 months' ageing. Fermentation is spontaneous, and no additives are used. The wine finishes fermenting in its own time – in some cases this may take up to 20 months. After two years the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered. The final blend was made only days before bottling. I served this wine to fellow guests at Soneva Jani in the Maldives and one of the two bottles, alas, was tainted by TCA. At least it was instructive for people to smell it but it was a great shame as the good bottle was so sophisticated and interesting with a confident texture and such complexity of flavour. Although the alcohol is relatively high, so is the acidity and this is a glorious, unique, sophisticated wine. (JR)