2022 Pofadder
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Tasting notes
The 2022 Pofadder is an absolute gem. Served blind, I was not the only person duped into thinking it was a Pinot Noir rather than Cinsault. It has a vivid bouquet with red cherries and blueberry intermingling, hints of pressed rose petal and still that faint musk scent. Wonderful delineation. The palate is framed by filigree tannins and pure, mainly red fruit. Lovely weight, still that Pinot-like finesse, yet in retrospect the density on the finish is more Cinsault. Still youthful, this has a long and prosperous future. Tasted at "Lower" wine bar in London.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
Red-fruited and softly spicy, the 2022 Old Vine Series Pofadder offers ample floral expressions with crunchy red fruit aromas that display a pure and fresh expression of Cinsault. Medium to full-bodied and with 14% alcohol, the palate is fresh and mineral driven before a firm tannic grip clamps down, telling me it's much too young right now. With a fine acid backbone, this beauty will continue to shine with elegance and finesse for more than a decade. It's immensely pleasurable and has me craving duck breast. Only 5,000 bottles were produced from 50% whole-cluster Cinsault. Speaking with Eben Sadie, he believes it’s their best Cinsault since 2012.
Cinsault from Swartland – Riebeeksrivier. 28hl/ha. Ageing 12 months in old foudre. Exuberant red-fruit aromas, notes of raspberry and wild berries. Pure and linear, the juiciness delivers a sour-cherry savouriness offering spice and accessibility rather than complexity and nuance. All the brightness possible from the variety but very little of the layering a great red wine might deliver. (MF)
About the producer
Since he started making wine under his own name in 2000, Eben Sadie became a cult name in South Africa. The Swartland producer is best known for his flagship Columella and Palladius, but he also makes a range of whites and reds under the Old Vine Series, which became the District Series in 2025.