Sadie Family Palladius 2020
Vineyards
Paardeberg (14 vineyards) , Piketberg (1 vineyard), St Helena Bay (2 vineyards)
Winemaking and Maturation
The grapes are picked across a great many vineyards and taken into our cold-room on arrival at the cellar. The next day the grapes are sorted and the whole bunches go into the press. The pressing lasts 2 – 3 hours and in that period a margin of settling of the juice takes place in the collecting tank. The turbid juice is then transferred to concrete eggs of 725 litres and 400 – 1200 litre clay amphoras for the next stage of natural fermentation.
The Palladius matures in these vessels for 12 months and is then racked off into big old foudres for an additional 12 months ageing prior to bottling. After two years the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Tasting Notes
The 2020 wine is a seamless entity with a slightly higher acidity than in 2019 and 2018, but much more layered and the overall polarity in the wine has increased. This one is seriously packed and dense at 13.23% alcohol with an acidity that beams at you. This is arguably the freshest and most linear version ever bottled of Palladius.
Technical Details
Composition: Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Clairette Blanche, Viognier, Verdelho, Roussanne, Marsanne, Semillon Gris, Semillon Blanc & Palomino, Colombard
