David Sadie, of the eponymous David & Nadia, was in
London last week to present the upcoming 2018s to a group of enthusiasts
in the dining room at St James’s Street. The question on everyone’s
lips: would they actually live up to the benchmark 2017s?
It's well known by now that 2018 was no easy ride, for the trio of 2016, 2017 and 2018 vintages will likely be remembered primarily as
those harvested under the cloud of severe drought. And although South
Africans had endured two years of it already by then, it wasn't really until
2018 that the rest of the world finally took note of its severity, as the international media covered the countdown
toward “Day Zero” – when the water would be cut off entirely.
Summer 2017-2018 was therefore punctuated
by water restrictions that became stricter as “Day Zero” loomed
closer. Mercifully, it didn’t come to that and decent rain finally arrived in
June 2018, albeit after the harvest had finished. Throughout the growing season,
water responsibility was paramount. It was the small incremental changes in everyday behaviour that, extrapolated out, might prove to make a huge difference. Big picture thinking that cast a light on the
smallest of details, and the need to make continued, measured adjustments, therefore, became important motifs of the
drought. And as we discovered in this characteristically tangential and
fascinating afternoon with David, these recurring ideals are applicable not just to the water crisis
but also to a philosophy that David & Nadia, as young viticulturists
and winemakers, have embodied on their journey so far.
The emphatic takeaway message from David & Nadia’s new
releases is that this dynamic duo has found a groove, and they are
finally producing wines entirely as they’d like to. I have no
doubt that they will achieve the global recognition that they deserve, sooner
rather than later. In purely qualitative terms, their wines sit comfortably
in the very highest echelons of South Africa, each one properly conveying the
highs and lows of life in the Swartland; with its wonderful old vineyards,
complex and varied terroirs, steady warmth and beautiful richness of fruit, but
also the extremity of low yields and the relentless agricultural work that is
needed in order to plant new and protect old vineyards. It is “a collective and
collaborative team effort” says David. “We want to improve awareness around the
Swartland and therefore also the Cape. We are lucky to be able to work with
many vineyards across the Swartland and that contributes greatly to our
perspective, respect and experience. We are now releasing on average the eighth
vintage of these wines (ninth for the Aristargos and seventh for the Elpidios)
from vineyards solely in the Swartland. We believe its vineyards and its people
speak for themselves. Sustainable farming remains our core focus, and minimal
intervention in the cellar. The wines showcase our philosophy, our vision and
our love for the Swartland, our home region.”
Clairette blanche vines planted in the early 1980’s
creating a beautiful contrast with the wheat fields towards the Kasteelberg
Mountain. Photo courtesy of David & Nadia Pty.
So, what of the 2018s? Well, Aristargos 2018 is again a wine
of huge interest and character, driven by the old vine Chenin Blanc that makes
up about 55% of the blend, which provides a backbone of minerality and persistence,
accompanied by Clairette, Semillon, Roussanne, Viognier and a touch of Marsanne
that brings with it a sheen of white silk and velvet. “Six varieties, fourteen
vineyards, twenty pickings, a huge variety of soils, one vision, one
appellation, one wine.” It is flavoursome and floral but not overbearing,
with a quiet thrum of acidity that will enable it to develop soundly over the
coming years. An Aristargos 2012, tasted alongside it, only accentuated
the quality of the more recent 2017 and 2018 vintages. A nicely drinking, if not necessarily
profound wine, the 2012 saw 10% of Chardonnay included in the blend and battonage in barrel, which has evolved into a richer, more sun-kissed style of wine over time. The strength of present-day Aristargos, therefore, is its modern sense
of restraint and clarity. This it manages to achieve without sacrificing any of
the floral allure, openness, and seductive fruit that makes it such a winner.
It is in the Chenin Blancs though that David & Nadia’s
new releases will create the biggest buzz. Firstly, the Chenin Blanc 2018 in
the core range, which is blended from old dry-farmed bush vines planted variously
on granite in the Paardeberg, shale/schist in the east, clay in the north and
iron in the western part of the Swartland, again presents itself as the
archetypal smooth and soulful Swartland Chenin with a certain richness and
golden fruit.
The 2018 single vineyards are three of the finest whites being
produced in South Africa today. There are only a handful of wines that even
rival them, and as a country South Africa needs wines such as these to
demonstrate their ability to produce world-beating whites. Joining Skaliekop, with
its poor shale soils and typically flinty, lemon-balm and mineral personality,
and the famous Hoe-Steen; a deep, ancient vineyard planted on red iron and
clay soil west of Malmesbury, is a brand-new wine called Plat’Bos. It hails from the Paardebosch Farm, where the cellar is based, and here the soil is entirely
decomposed granite. The vineyard
continues to provide fruit for both the Aristargos and the David & Nadia
Chenin, but in 2018 the distinctive personality it showed from barrel was too
good to ignore. Tense, electrifying acidity and a saline, almost austere
quality speaks to the granitic soils, held together with understated clear
white fruit, some red spices, and a powdery sensation on the finish. These three
Chenins will soon be on everybody’s radar and they are every bit the “Grand
Crus” they are styled as.
The three single vineyard Chenin Blanc 2018s
On the red wine front, the straight Grenache has been David
& Nadia’s calling card for a number of years and the 2018, cut in a
slighter deeper mould than in previous vintages, doesn't disappoint.
Furthermore, their evident talent and love for Grenache has finally
found its way in to the Elpidios 2017, a red blend which is always released a year later as it needs more time in bottle. In David’s words, “it took almost 10 years for this dream to come true, one that was shaped by the reality of farming in the Swartland, its
droughts, and our love for a specific red variety, while acknowledging the historic
legwork already done in our country since the 1950s.” In his opinion, “it is the
wine that tells our story best. Our journey started in 2011 with Syrah as
the main grape. In 2015 and 2016 we moved to Carignan, before finally the 2017 has
Grenache at its heart.” Access to old vine Grenache is near-impossible in the
Swartland and David has therefore planted heavily over the last few years, while also working to safeguard his quality sources. Finally this work is coming to
fruition and the change in the make-up of Elpidios now threads the range
together with both reds focused on Grenache and the two whites on Chenin.
In the journeying spirit, David led a vertical of Elpidios
from its inception to present day, a fascinating exercise
that spoke clearly to that philosophy of continued, measured adjustments and
big-picture thinking.
Firstly, over the years, David has reduced the amount of time
the various components spend in barrel in order to mollify some of the slightly
drier notes that are present in the background of the 2011 and 2012 Elpidios
today. David explained, “all four of the first vintages spent twenty months in
oak and six months in bottle before release. We didn’t have access to old
Grenache and the variety would dry out in barrel, so we back blended up to 15%
of the newer vintage.” 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 were based on
Syrah, a decision dictated by access to fruit and the mode of the time. Of those four vintages, the 2014 was the most open and fluid on the
day; intense yet salty with beautiful blue and red fruit. 2015 saw the time in oak
reduce to eighteen months and Carignan become the lead variety. More savoury and sapid
than the 2014 and 2013 but much fresher on the palate and finer too, a lifted
quality of fruit but with a firmer quality of tannins. 2016 saw time in barrel drop
further to twelve months, again with Carignan as the lead. Juicier and more
open with a fragrant, herbal quality and some spicy warmth on the finish. Ultimately though, the 2017 is the complete package; a
seamless melt of fruit, flowers and herbs, more ethereal, with graceful, sweet tannins.
It is clearly the finest Elpidios to date. Potentially, a total game changer.
All new releases will be offered to the trade
and private customers in September 2019.
Mark Dearing