David & Nadia

Talk about making a big impression fast. David and Nadia Sadie only made their first wine in 2010, but they have already established themselves as one of the go-to producers in the Swartland with their elegant, low-intervention wines.

Swartland is a warm area, and old vines, with their deep roots, are able to give balanced, concentrated fruit without irrigation. And David and Nadia’s success is based on seeking out old, dry-farmed, bush vines from shale or granite soil.

Over time they have increasingly concentrated their efforts on two varieties: Chenin Blanc, for whites, and Grenache for reds, both of which perform brilliantly in this hot, dry region. As well as being used in their single-vineyard wines, these two varieties are also the basis for the two red and white blends.

In the winery, the approach is resolutely hands-off, with nothing getting in the way of the vineyards’ ability to faithfully express themselves. So wines are aged in old oak vessels, large foudres or (increasingly) in concrete vats. These have no obvious flavour impact, but allow for gentle, slow interaction with oxygen, allowing the different elements to knit together to create deft wines of texture, purity and balance.