2024 Sadie Family Swartland Treinspoor
2024 Sadie Family Swartland Treinspoor

2024 Sadie Family Swartland Treinspoor

96 pts
Sadie Family Wines |Swartland |Tinta Barroca
A rare and masterfully crafted Tinta Barocca from 1974-planted bush vines - think Shiraz meets Nebbiolo, or something like that.
Price:
$179.00
Stock:
In stock, ready to ship
Rendering loop-subscriptions

Description

Tinta Barocca might have started life in the Douro, but it has found a spiritual home in the Swartland. Eben Sadie notes that it’s really a "Swartland thing" now, and Treinspoor is the ultimate proof. Sourced from a vineyard planted back in 1974 next to the old railway line (hence the name) west of Malmesbury, these old bush vines on decomposed granite and sandstone are vital for shading the variety's thin, fragile skins.

Eben often describes this wine as the lovechild of Northern Rhône Syrah and Piedmontese Nebbiolo, and once you taste it, that makes perfect sense. The 2024 release is incredibly lifted, pouring a vivid purple in the glass. You get those dark, brooding aromatics - black cherry, blackcurrant and iodine- but the structure is all Piedmont.

It’s got spice, floral lift and a serious backbone of tannin and acidity that demands attention. It is idiosyncratic, deeply savoury and unlike pretty much anything else coming out of the Cape right now.

96 points
"It’s medium- to full-bodied, firm and focused, with fantastic spicy undertones. Lots of structure. Tight and firm finish."
James Suckling

95 points
"A red for fans of Italian wines – it reminds me of Sagrantino - Treinspoor is dense, chewy and a little scary."
Tim Atkin MW (South Africa Special Report 2025)

Swartland. “It’s a Swartland thing,” notes Sadie of Tinta Barocca (the South African spelling has only one ‘r’ and two ‘c’s). This variety arrived in South Africa from the Douro and has found an opportune home in the Western Cape. Historically, Tinta das Baroccas (as it was once labelled) has played a prominent role in Swartland’s red blends, and interest in the variety—particularly from old, dry-grown vineyards—has spiked in recent years.

This vineyard, planted in 1974 and located next to the old railway line (treinspoor), lies four kilometres west of Malmesbury on decomposed granite and sandstone. Sadie notes that while the very fragile, thin skin of Tinta Barocca is prone to sunburn, the site’s old bush vines keep the bunches sheltered from Swartland’s intense sun. He likens his Treinspoor to a sort of stylistic cross between Northern Rhône Syrah (black cherry/blackcurrant/grenadine fruit, iodine and nettles) and Piedmontese Nebbiolo (spice, flowers, acidity and tannins). “It has Piedmont-like tannins and Northern Rhône aromatics,” says Eben. Regardless, as you can read below, it’s an outstanding, idiosyncratic red. Eben notes that the 2024 “is one of the most lifted versions, and the purple hue also suggests a new definition of Tinta Barocca, or at least for us.”

Price Bracket $101 and Above
Type Red
Body Full Bodied
Variety Tinta Barroca
Country South Africa
Region Swartland
Feature High Score
Iconic
Cult
Reviewed By Tim Atkin MW
James Suckling
Critic Score 96
95
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