A Celebration of Diversity in Fine Cape Wine: Three New Icon South African Producers

14 Apr 2025

The April online auction brings together three of South Africa’s most distinguished and sought-after producers—Le Riche, David & Nadia and Restless River—each renowned for their dedication to terroir, craftsmanship, and producing refined, long-aging and exciting wines. 

Le Riche Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is a South African benchmark, produced by Christo le Riche who took over from his father Etienne, a legend of the industry. David & Nadia Sadie’s thrilling, terroir-driven Swartland wines have shown incredible elegance, concentration and consistency over the past two decades. To complete this top echelon line-up, Restless River has fast risen to cult-status, with its mineral Chardonnay, pure Pinot Noir and cool-climate Cabernet Sauvignon from the Hemel-en-Aarde.

These producers represent the pinnacle of South African winemaking, but with limited production, older vintages are extremely rare. Considering the shorter history of Restless River (first vintage 2012) and David & Nadia (2010), this is the first opportunity to acquire some of the most extraordinary and rare wines from the Cape with optimum cellaring.

The Producer auction closes on Tuesday, 22^nd April from 6pm at one-minute intervals.

‘What an honour to offer library wines from three of South Africa’s top producers, for the first time. Le Riche, David & Nadia and RR have made meaningful contributions to the boom of South African fine wine over the last decade. Now we can finally enjoy these wines closer to maturity.’ – Roland Peens

‘In their own distinctive ways, these three producers represent the pinnacle of elegance in their respective categories. Top shelf Chenin, Chardonnay & Pinot and of course Cabernet from totally unique sites make for a diverse and complimentary catalogue.’ – Higgo Jacobs

David & Nadia: A Swartland Success Story

It’s remarkable to think that David & Nadia Wines, now synonymous with Swartland excellence, was only established in 2010. From their beautifully restored 220-year-old cellar on Paardebosch farm, nestled on the slopes of the Paardeberg, David and Nadia Sadie have built a reputation for producing some of South Africa’s most refined and expressive wines.

Their philosophy is simple: to craft elegant, terroir-driven wines that speak of the land they come from. Working with a network of like-minded farmers, they focus on organically farmed, old, dryland bush vine vineyards spread across the diverse soils of the Swartland.

From ‘Young Gun’ to Industry Leader

Once considered one of the ‘young guns’ of the Swartland fine wine revolution, David’s wines are now regarded as some of the best—not just in the region, but across South Africa and beyond. Yet, for him, the focus remains steadfast:

“It’s not about us. It’s about our region, its soils, its beautiful vineyards and beautiful people.” – David Sadie

Born and raised in the Swartland, David studied viticulture and oenology at Stellenbosch University before honing his craft at renowned wineries such as Waterford and Rustenberg locally, as well as in New Zealand and France. He later held winemaking positions at Saronsberg and Lemberg before launching his own label in 2010.

Their signature wines, showcasing true Swartland character, are centred around Chenin Blanc and a Chenin-based blend, The Aristagos, as well as Grenache and Grenache-based blend, Elpidios.

The Single Vineyard Chenin Blancs of Hoë-Steen, Skaliekop, Plat’bos and Rondevlei are dazzling old vine parcels and considered some of the finest in the country.

A decade on, David & Nadia Wines continues to push boundaries, proving that passion, dedication, and respect for the land yield wines of extraordinary quality.

A Legacy of Excellence: Le Riche Wines

Founded in 1996 by the esteemed Etienne le Riche, one of the founding members of the Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG), Le Riche Wines has built a reputation for crafting premium red wines in a classic South African style. Nestled on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountain, the winery is now proudly run by Etienne’s son, Christo, and daughter, Yvonne, continuing the family’s commitment to excellence.

Cabernet Sauvignon: Singular Focus

From the very beginning, Le Riche has orientated itself around the veritable king of the grape kingdom: Cabernet Sauvignon. Regarded as one of the leading Stellenbosch ultra-premium producers of Cabernet Sauvignon, the vision is to craft the ultimate expression of Cabernet Sauvignon from the Stellenbosch Winelands of South Africa.

Le Riche exclusively select and source only the highest-quality fruit, from unique vineyards, grown by long-term, established farmers. At the core of this is an inherent knowledge and respect of terroir, in particular the soil, and a winemaking ethos that is traditionally simplistic yet innovative.

Combining decades of experience and knowledge, the Le Riche team excel in isolating various terroirs that best create the ultimate expression of Cabernet Sauvignon from the region. Thanks to this noble grape’s thoroughbred genetics and impressive adaptability, they can dedicate their winemaking pursuit to crafting quality-focused wines that are detailed in approach and reflective of their terroir.

A Journey Through Time

Until 2010, all Le Riche wines were crafted by Etienne himself, with the 2010 vintage marking a special collaboration between father and son. From 2011 onwards, Christo has carried the winemaking torch, building the legacy while adding his own touch to these iconic Cabernets.

A pivotal moment in Le Riche history came in 2013 when the winery transitioned from its rented space in Jonkershoek (home since its first vintage in 1997) to its very own cellar in Raithby. Designed to replicate the traditional open-top concrete fermenters of the original winery, this move was particularly meaningful for Etienne—his first time owning a cellar of his own.

Rare & Unrepeatable: A Collector’s Dream

Many of the older vintages have become incredibly rare, with only a handful of bottles remaining in the vinoteque. These wines represent not only Le Riche’s winemaking journey but also a piece of South African wine history—true collector’s treasures.

For those who appreciate exceptional, age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon, Le Riche Wines offers an opportunity to experience Stellenbosch’s finest.

Discover the legacy. Savor the excellence.

Restless River: A Rising Star with Cult Status

Restless River has quietly become one of South Africa’s most sought-after boutique wineries, achieving cult status for its exceptional, Burgundian-style Chardonnay and distinctive cool-climate Cabernet Sauvignon.

Founded in 2012 by Craig and Anne Wessels, Restless River is a small, family-run estate nestled in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, home to some of the region’s oldest Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon vines. Every step of production is done by hand in a traditional way, leading to limited, high-quality releases with an unmistakable sense of place.

The Philosophy: Pure, Terroir-Driven Wines

Restless River is built on a deep respect for site expression and minimal intervention. Each vineyard on the estate is registered as a Single Vineyard. The focus is exclusively on single-varietal wines—Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon—allowing each to shine in its purest form.

While these three varieties remain at the heart of Restless River, the Wessels occasionally craft an experimental Wanderlust wine—a unique, one-off release that changes every year, pushing the boundaries of their winemaking approach.

The Ava Marie Chardonnay is named after their daughter and is a powerhouse of intensity and elegance rather than weight. Over the years, Craig has embraced a more natural approach in the winery as the vineyard continues to mature, resulting in a wine of precision and depth.

The Luc Pinot Noir is named after their son and is their newest addition to the estate range and has already built a strong reputation among Pinot Noir lovers. Given that the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley is arguably South Africa’s finest Pinot Noir region, expect this wine to reach even greater heights with each vintage.

The Main Rd & Dignity Cabernet Sauvignon has further propelled Restless River into the upper echelons of the South African wine world. Crafted from two distinct single-vineyard blocks, this cool-climate Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most unique expressions of the varietal in the country.

Looking Ahead

With demand far exceeding supply, Restless River wines are now highly sought after. The Wessels family continues to expand plantings on their farm and neighbouring land, remaining steadfast in their dedication to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon. A replanting program is also underway to ensure vine quality remains at its peak, securing the estate’s future as one of South Africa’s most exciting fine wine producers.

For those fortunate enough to secure a bottle, Restless River is not just a wine—it’s an experience of terroir, craftsmanship, and unwavering dedication.

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