The 2024 Sadie Family Swartland Treinspoor is a profound and intensely terroir-driven expression of Tinta Barocca from one of South Africa’s most iconic producers. Crafted by Eben Sadie from a single dry-farmed vineyard planted in 1974 near Malmesbury, the wine comes from alluvial soils rich in sandstone, granite and quartz. Named after the nearby railway line (“treinspoor”), the vineyard has become one of the Cape’s benchmark sites for Tinta Barocca, a Portuguese variety that Sadie believes has found a true home in the Swartland. Fermented with partial whole bunches and aged in old conical wooden casks, the 2024 vintage is especially lifted and aromatic, with remarkable structure and precision.
The nose reveals dark plum, blackberry and dried fig layered alongside violets, graphite, rooibos tea and cracked pepper, giving the wine extraordinary aromatic depth and complexity. On the palate, it is medium to full-bodied with dense, finely layered tannins balanced by vibrant natural acidity and a tightly wound mineral core. Layers of black fruit, licorice and savoury spice unfold with exceptional energy and tension, finishing long, firm and beautifully persistent with outstanding ageing potential. Critics have consistently highlighted the wine’s Nebbiolo-like tannic structure and Rhône-like aromatics, with Tim Atkin MW describing it as “dense, chewy and a little scary” in youth, while James Suckling praised its “fantastic spicy undertones” and “tight and firm finish.”
Ben’s Recommendation:
The 2024 Sadie Family Treinspoor is a world-class Swartland red — powerful, mineral and beautifully structured with extraordinary tension and complexity. Perfect with slow-cooked lamb, venison, mushroom dishes, braised beef or richly savoury Mediterranean cuisine. Decant if drinking young or cellar gracefully through 2045+.
