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Swartland. Palladius is a blend of 14 white varieties, with old bush-vine Chenin Blanc playing a principal role. Like the Columella red, the idea is to produce a great white that represents the overall terroir of Swartland. As a result, it is harvested from 17-odd sites, taking in Grenache Blanc, Clairette Blanche, Viognier, Verdelho, Roussanne, Marsanne, Semillon Blanc, Palomino and Colombard, as well as the hyper-rare Semillon Gris (which plays a starring role in Sadie’s Kokerboom and ’T Voetpad cuvées). Scattered throughout Swartland, most of the vineyards are rooted in decomposed Paardeberg granite (although four parcels lie on sandstone), and most qualify for old-vine status (35-plus-years), with the oldest planted in 1935. The younger-vine fruit comes from Sadie’s own plantings, though even here, the yields max out at 30 hl/ha. For the first time, the 2024 includes Grillo and Assyrtiko from Sadie’s coastal limestone vineyard at St Helena Bay. Sadie sees this competent adding even more freshness and minerality.
The fruit was sorted and pressed in a traditional, vertical press directly into clay amphora and concrete eggs (725 litres). The wine then went to large wooden foudres for maturation. The entire aging cycle was 24 months, after which it was bottled without fining or filtration.
Throughout the season, Sadie’s primary goal was, in his own words, “to try and get the maximum volume of compact fruit and texture together with the best potential volume of acidity and freshness.” He has unquestionably achieved that here, with the extra breadth, power and texture setting Palladius apart from his District Series whites. Eben continues: “Over the past five years, Palladius has been the wine that gained the most in quality and refinement, and much of this has to do with the addition of more vineyards and the improvement of their viticulture.” It’s a white of vast complexity; the kind you can sit with for hours.