2024 Sadie Family Swartland Rotsbank
2024 Sadie Family Swartland Rotsbank

2024 Sadie Family Swartland Rotsbank

98 pts
Sadie Family Wines |Swartland |Chenin Blanc
A razor-sharp, mineral-driven Chenin Blanc sourced from a coveted shallow granite site that Eben Sadie waited over a decade to acquire.
Price:
$179.00
Stock:
In stock, ready to ship
Rendering loop-subscriptions

Description

Eben Sadie played the long game for this one. He spent 14 years waiting to get access to this specific Paardeberg site, maintaining he wouldn't bottle a Swartland Chenin unless it came from here. The vineyard sits on a shallow shelf of granite - a 'Rotsbank' - where the topsoil is so thin the vines really have to struggle.

The result is a Chenin Blanc that is totally distinct from the rest of the range. Eben calls it "blue steel" and that nails the vibe. It is linear, sharp and incredibly focused. You get notes of lemon rind and crushed rock, but it is the texture and tension that really define it. It isn't about rich fruit; it is about the granite it grows on.

Because it comes from such a low-yielding site, there isn't much of it around. If you are drinking it now, definitely give it a decant to let that tight structure relax a bit.

98 points
"I love the sharpness and minerality. This will age. The third edition of this wine. Chenin Blanc from a historic vineyard with rocky soils"
- James Suckling

97 points
"this is a pure, beautifully chiselled expression of the granite soils of the Paardeberg."
- Tim Atkin MW (South Africa Report 2025)

Tim Atkin MW

Tim Atkin MW

South Africa Special Report 2025 97 Points

The only one of Eben Sadie's superb range of Chenin Blancs that comes from his Swartland base, this is a pure, beautifully chiselled expression of the granite soils of the Paardeberg, with aromas of thatch, fennel and petrichor, leesy intensity and texture, racy minerality and a palate-cleansing, lemon zest finish. 2027-35.

James Suckling

James Suckling

James Suckling 98 Points

This steely, mineral chenin is somewhat restrained, showing aromas of lemon rind, crushed rocks, thyme and pears, but it’s compact, full of tension and concentrated on the palate, with a medium to full body and racy acidity. I love the sharpness and minerality. This will age. The third edition of this wine. Chenin Blanc from a historic vineyard with rocky soils.

Swartland. Having coveted the site for a decade and a half, Eben finally got his hands on these 40-year-old vines in 2021. “We have always maintained that we would only bottle a Swartland Chenin if it could be from this vineyard,” Eben tells us. “It might have been a long 14 years of waiting to get our hands on this vineyard, but it was simply worth it in every respect.”

The vineyard is located in the Paardeberg and planted on a very shallow rock shelf, “Rotsbank.” This leads to minimal vine growth as the topsoil is exceptionally shallow. The reserves are always scant, and the general shoot length and bunch sizes are much smaller than in the surrounding Chenin vineyards. These early releases are clearly special, yet Eben believes there is more to come, noting: “We have spent much time and capital over the past three seasons to elevate this vineyard to the highest level, and within a year or two, we expect an even greater response from the soils.” It is one of the most linear expressions of the year. “It is a blue steel Chenin,” quips Sadie, who recommends decanting if opened early. The notes below say it all.

Price Bracket $101 and Above
Type White
Body Full Bodied
Variety Chenin Blanc
Country South Africa
Region Swartland
Feature High Score
Iconic
Cult
Reviewed By Tim Atkin MW
James Suckling
Critic Score 98
97
Size 750ml
Vintage 2024
Closure Cork

Sadie Family Wines

One of the tearaway producers of the revitalised Swartland wine scene, Sadie Family Wines has had an astronomical rise to fame on the international stage.

Owner and winemaker, Eben Sadie, first found acclaim under the banner of Terroir Al Limit where he was a co-founder alongside Dominik Huber. In the same way that Terroir Al Limit helped redefine what wine could taste like from Priorat in Spain, Sadie handles his family wines and vines with that same ruthless attention to detail.

These wines perfectly articulate a sense of place. Sadie's transparency in winemaking and obsessive farming practices reveal intense, tightly-wound wines with distinct personality. These are now some of South Africa's most keenly sought-after artisan wines. Worldwide allocations are minuscule and hotly contested. As little as a handful of bottles make it to Australia each year. Secure these rare birds while you can.

Eben Sadie in the vineyard Sadie Family Wines

Others also liked

Recently viewed

Common Questions

Delivery is free on orders of $150 or more.

For orders under this amount, delivery is calculated at checkout based on your postcode. You can order in any quantity or combination of wines you like. Straight dozens are not required.

We will dispatch your order the same or next business day.

Estimated delivery transit time varies depending on your location. Please review this page for specific estimates.

No sorry we do not have a store front and pickup is not available.

Yes, no problem. When placing your order select ‘Store at Different Drop and Delivery Later’ as your shipping method or reply to the order confirmation email after placing your order with additional instructions.

We stock three different sized gift boxes (single, three bottle and six), all are available for purchase for a flat rate of $8. They look great and make an awesome impression.

To add a gift box to your order, simply add at checkout. The special requests box is your friend, please give us as many details of what you are looking for and we will try our best, or get in contact to discuss it with you. 

If you want to bulk order gifts or if you have any trouble please email hello@differentdrop.com or call and we can try and help.

 

Our warehouse is automated so unless you tell us otherwise, we will ship your order. If you would like us to hold your order please reply to the order confirmation email after placing your order and we are happy to store your order for up to 6 months at no charge. You can review our heat policy here.

Yes, of course. We want Different Drop customers to always be getting the best price. You can see our price match policy here.

No, feel free to mix it up! There is no minimum requirement. You can order wines in any quantity or combination, 1 or 50+ bottles.

No, all prices are set at the full discounted dozen rate already.

If you can't add more wine to your cart it means we are low on stock of that wine. For example, if you are only able to 3 bottles and no more that means we only have 3 bottles left of that wine. If it's a must have, please contact us and we may be able to order more in for you.

Need a hand?

We’d love to help you out! Most questions can be sorted quickly through our Help Centre or by dropping us a line on chat or email. If it’s something urgent or you just really want to have a yarn about wine, food, or even the meaning of life, give us a call — we’re here for you.

Regular Enquiries

hello@differentdrop.com

Urgent Enquiries

02 8376 8775