The Sadie Family Pofadder

The Sadie Family Pofadder is an ecological, barrel-aged red wine made with the Cinsault variety by The Sadie Family in the Swartland denomination of origin, in Coastal Region (South Africa).

In 1999, winemaker Eben Sadie founded The Sadie Family in the Swartland wine region. Under a philosophy of minimal intervention, this promising young South African winemaker is producing excellent wines where terroir and grapes are the undisputed protagonists. At the same time, Sadie is using her oenological knowledge in other projects like Sequillo Cellars in South Africa and Terroir al Límit in Priorat (Spain).

The Sadie Family Pofadder comes from Cinsault vines planted more than 45 years ago on the Kasteelberg mountain. This plot has slate and decomposed sandstone soil. Organic farming is used and the yield is limited to 30 hl / ha. This involves the most meticulous work because it is one of the most challenging varieties to cultivate and vinify.

Once harvested by hand, The Sadie Family Pofadder clusters are placed whole in an open wooden barrel with one or two gentle treads each day to release enough juice for fermentation. After spending one month on skins, it is pressed and transferred to old wooden barrels to age for 12 months. It is bottled without refining or filtering.

The name of this wine, The Sadie Family Pofadder comes from the name of a snake from the Cape area (Pofadder) who claimed the life of a vineyard worker in the 1940s. A limited production wine where the Cinsault variety, the ‘pinot noir of Swartland’ is showcased in all its splendour.