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David & Nadia Wines, “Aristargos” White Blend

Western Cape, South Africa 2015 (750mL)
Regular price$35.00
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David & Nadia Wines, “Aristargos” White Blend

The wine revolution in Swartland was not televised, at least not on our shores. But the stories and the wines found their way to us, all the way from South Africa’s magnificent Western Cape, and we’re all the better for it—as you will see when you taste this sumptuous, artful white from David and Nadia Sadie.


In addition to their legitimate claim to Grand Cru quality with their pricier single-vineyard Chenin Blancs—which enjoy a cult following among collectors and connoisseurs—David and Nadia remain dedicated to innovative, well-priced, fascinating white blends like today’s 2015. There are nods to many of the world’s greatest whites in this blend of Chenin Blanc, Roussanne, Viognier, Clairette, and Sémillon; it’s almost like the Sadies are showing off, and it’s not just their multi-instrumentalist skills in the cellar but the wealth of options the Swartland terroir provides. This is a special place most American wine lovers know little to nothing about, but the quality and character of the wines emerging from here is too great to ignore: We’ve swooned over Syrahs from another Swartland power couple, Andrea & Chris Mullineux, and now it’s David and Nadia’s turn in the spotlight. Originally released over three years ago, the 2015 Aristargos is nothing short of an early-career masterpiece whose age-worthy quality completely transcends its price—so much so that, once acquired and tasted, you’ll feel as though you just tip-toed out of a gallery with a stolen, coveted objet d’art!


Nearly two decades ago, Swartland visionaries such as Charles Back, Mark Kent, Rosa Kruger, and a young Eben Sadie (no relation) made loud and clear their vision for the immensely unrealized potential of this vast, varied, and largely untapped wine-growing region. The massive Swartland territory in South Africa’s Western Cape, with a staggering wealth of ancient bush vines, prime soil types, elevations, and exposures, stood poised to produce great wine once its seismic magic was unlocked. The viticultural imagination got ignited and BOOM! It happened! The glorious fallout gave birth to more than a handful of discerning and adventurous winemakers and growers, with Eben Sadie emerging as an international superstar and many others (including the Mullineuxs and the Sadies) not far behind. It’s a new generation working an ancient terroir which, while typically lumped in with other “New World” wine regions, really qualifies as an “Old World” growing zone.



The title of David and Nadia’s story might be “Love and Terroir,” as they met while studying viticulture at Stellenbosch University. Afterward, David jetted off to harvest work in New Zealand then again to France. Nadia remained in Stellenbosch and continued with her post-grad work in soil science. Soon later came marriage and Paardebosch, a rented farm in Malmesbury, where half their grapes are grown and home to their winery. Two more tracts are sited in the Riebeek area, which they control, while the rest are in the hands of like-minded farmers fully dialed into their approach. 



Therein lies the Sadie’s continued vision and intrigue for Swartland’s multifaceted terroir. Although mostly hot and dry, the region includes cooler areas along the coast and elevations swing from steep slopes to swaths of rolling hills. Three inland mountain ranges richly arrayed with soil compositions ranging from decomposed granite over clay, schist, and strands of limestone. Sprinkle in the largest day-night temperature differential for the entire Cape Region, thus minimizing the stress of hot days and preserving acidity and aromatics in the grapes. Add it all up and you have a veritable candy store for varietal exploration and this 2015 “Aristargos delights in all of it!



Pulling from 14 different vineyards throughout Swartland, the region-wide stellar 2015 vintage allowed for Aristargos to enjoy an evenly weighted blend of all five constituent varieties, leading with Chenin Blanc plus Roussanne, Viognier, Clairette, and Sémillon. The Chenin Blanc vines range from 35 to 50 years old and the Semillon was planted in 1960! Younger plantings of Roussanne and Viognier strike an intended balance with the gnarly old bush vines. All the vineyards are dry-farmed and hand-harvested in various stages with meticulous attention to preserving structural acidity and vibrant aromatics. The grapes were then whole bunch pressed and naturally fermented then matured for 11 months in old, used French oak barrels. The grapes from the two Sémilllon vineyards were fermented separately on their skins for a week to extract just the right amount of color, texture, and perfume before being pressed and matured in two big, very old 300-liter French barrels for a year. The wine is bottled with gentle filtration. The Sadies’ permanent staff consists of four local homeless people. It’s part of their over-arching philosophy they call “biological farming,” away from the use of machines and agrochemicals and dedicated, in their words, “to try to employ people instead, to give hope to them.”



And yes, the wine is as extraordinary as the people behind it: Once more, the superb 2015 allowed all the varietal components of this blockbuster to brightly shine yet harmoniously work. Evident right out of the gate, a rich golden hue on a polished medium-full body boasted a captivating bouquet initially of fresh apple, warm gingerbread, and yellow flowers then ripe nectarine and a whisper of orange peel? I had to take a moment to digest the sheer density of aromatic information. The satiny smooth palate is balanced and vibrant with nuanced ginger spice and fresh apple with a finishing note of earthy marzipan. Complex, layered, and lush with a guiding beam of acidity that forever keeps this dazzling joy ride on the rails. The wine is just entering its “sweet spot” window, fully revealed but prepared to sing encores for the next 5-7 years. But you know you can’t wait, so serve in large Burgundy stems around 50-55 degrees after a quick 15-minute “wake up” decant. Once you’ve decided whether you’ll pair this rare gem with high-grade sushi, a wintry fish stew with crusty bread, or a perfectly roasted herbed-stuffed chicken, sit down and contemplate how and when you might visit one of the most mind-bogglingly beautiful landscapes in wine. This kaleidoscopic white will get you in the mood! Cheers!

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South Africa

Southwestern South Africa

Swartland

South Africa’s magnificent Western Cape, and specifically the Swartland appellation, is another rich mosaic of soil types, including sands of decomposed granite from the nearby Paardeberg Mountains. Dramatic day-night temperature swings in the region help preserve acidity and
moderate alcohol.

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