Provenance

Wine Cellar Private Client

Critics Ratings

2002:
'Made from bush vine Viognier, Chardonnay and old vine Chenin, fermented for 14 months with wild yeasts followed by 12 months on lees with a small proportion of new oak. The nose is bright and intense, showing pure, rich, herby fruit. Very classy. The palate has a lovely, rich, fat rounded structure with softness and intensity at the same time. It’s a thrilling, unusual wine. Very good/excellent' - Jamie Goode, Wineanorak.com, 94/100 (Jan 2005)

2003:
'Deep straw color. Waxy, exotic aromas of dried peach, orange and honey. Rich and velvety in the mouth, with notes of orange, nuts and marzipan. With aeration, fruitier flavors of apricot and pear nectar became dominant. The wine's very slight sweetness is buffered by edgy orange acidity. Builds nicely toward the back but shows some alcoholic warmth in the way of a white wine from Priorat. But this blend boasts better retention of primary fruit than most white wines from the hottest parts of Spain and France.' - Stephen Tanzer, Vinous (Mar 2005)

2004:
‘It has a wonderfully rich nose that’s perfumed and spicy, with herby, melony fruit. There’s a bit of jasmine here. The palate is dense and rich with lovely open fruit and good acidity. 18 months in wood (500 litre barrels) adds toastiness and spiciness. This is a fantastic wine. Excellent.' - Jamie Good, Wineanorak.com, 95/100

'The 2004 Palladius is one of Eben Sadie’s earlier vintages, and nowadays you do not see these often. I was convinced it was a mature Chenin Blanc from Vouvray. Well, the bush vine Chenin Blanc does play a leading role in Palladius, though Sadie blends it with 10 other grape varieties. The fully mature nose offers scents of molasses, marmalade, quince and just a hint of marzipan, plus a light Muscat tincture. The well-balanced palate is tangy and marmalade-driven, with a distinctive flor-like element and peachy notes toward the finish. It is not a Palladius with universal appeal, though I find its oxidative character distinctive and compelling. I would advise drinking sooner rather than later.' - Neal Martin, Vinous, 90/100 (Aug 2019)

2005:
‘Deeper gold than the 2007. More honeyed though still something cedary. Lanolin and honey and yet still so utterly fresh. Again, there's something Portuguese here (reminds me of Encruzado). Deep and fine grained and complex and long. Great concentration and still so much more to come.’ - Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, 18/20 (Oct 2012)

'Pioneering Swartland blend, ±40% Viognier, with Chenin, Chardonnay, and Grenache Blanc. ‘05 most elegant yet, still rich and succulent, with mineral and tannic elements, lingering finish. Flourishes of peach/apricot, citrus over earthy bass-notes. Powerful, but big alcohol in satin-textured balance, with 3.7g/l sugar imperceptible in savoury acidity. 18 months French oak, 40% new. Like fine 04, it should mature a few years at least. Unfined and unfiltered.’ - Platter’s SA Wine Guide 2007, 4.5*

2006:
'Singular blend, 30% each Viognier and Chenin, with Chardonnay and Grenache Blanc. ‘More structural than flavour sensation’ says Eben Sadie of the ‘06, and what a build! Waves of stonefruit woven into tingling minerality, bone-dry sensation to echoing length. Like previous vintages, it should mature well.’ - Platter’s SA Wine Guide 2008, 4.5*

‘Rich but nervy, with a wide range of chamomile, orange blossom, white peach, green almond, salted butter and mineral notes. Really fleshes out with air, but also keeps its bracing edge all the way through.’ - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator, 92/100 (May 2008)

2007:
‘13 different vineyards – all decomposed granite. Soil specialist Claude Bourguignon says some of the most decomposed in the world! Honeysuckle nose. Green and quite stemmy on the nose, the last vintage that was all made in barrel, 20% new. Very rich and dense and still exciting. So vital and rich without being sweet.’ - Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, 18/20 (Apr 2014)

'Breathtaking elevation of Chenin: a singular, wondrous tactile sensation. ‘07 with Grenache Blanc, Clairette Blanche, Viogier and Chardonnay; stonefruit knitted into tingling minerality. Like ‘06, it is also a stayer. Berry sorting, 18 months French oak. Sheer gravitas…’ - Platter’s SA Wine Guide 2009, 4.5*