Swartland. Palladius is a blend of all 11 of Swartland’s official white varieties, with old bush-vine Chenin Blanc playing the principal role. Like the Columella red, the idea is to produce a great white that represents the overall terroir of Swartland, so Sadie tries to use all permitted grapes. As a result, it is harvested from 17 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 years plus), 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.
The fruit was sorted and pressed in a traditional, vertical press directly into clay amphora and concrete egg (725 litres). The wine went to large wooden foudre for maturation. The entire aging cycle is 24 months. It was bottled without fining or filtration.
Throughout the season, Sadie’s primary goal is, 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. Palladius relies less on acidity than those, harnessing a deep, phenolic freshness that frames the wine. 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. The 2022 is exquisite; the notes below capture it so well.
“The 2022 starts by almost playing hide-and-seek; the wine is more reserved and holding back. And only after warming up and a couple of minutes in the glass does the conversation start. The aromas are that of green apple and citrus flint, and then some of the stone fruit aromas begin to shine through. The wine needs time. The palate is already balanced, and the acidity is met by very firm tannins. The aftertaste is lingering. This bottling is a great vintage to follow the 2021. It is a strong contender for the most restrained version, but we must taste 2021 and 2022 with some age to have a final verdict.” Eben Sadie
“The 2022 Palladius is a blend of Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Sémillon Blanc & Gris, Palomino, Verdelho, Colombard, Clairette Blanche and Viognier from several sites. Eben Sadie says that this is the wine he has wanted to make. It has a delectable nose with wax resin, linseed oil and hints of orange blossom. The palate is well balanced with a killer line of acidity. Taut, fresh and saline, it possesses immense nervosité on the finish that lingers in the mouth. This is even better than the 2021.” 97 points, Neal Martin, Vinous
“I am a white wine fanatic, and this very special wine blew me away. The Sadie Family's 2022 Swartland Palladius is a blend of 11 grapes from 17 distinct vineyard sites with old vines. The grapes used are Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Clairette Blanche, Viognier, Verdelho, Roussanne, Marsanne, Semillon Gris, Sémillon, Palomino and Colombard. The various vineyards are located in Paardeberg, Piketberg and Saint Helena Bay. "This is the most complex wine and difficult to make," says Eben Sadie. "A white wine needs to achieve more than a red." Made with blends and co-ferments, the Palladius presents challenges during harvest, as the fruit begins to come in at various stages and the tanks begin to fill. It sees 12 months in amphorae and concrete, plus 12 months in old foudre. It presents a spectacular collection of stone fruit aromas, lemon blossom, pastry cream filling, saffron and light spice. The Palladius is silky, textured and has enough structure for long cellar aging. This is indeed a star of the Southern Hemisphere.” 98 points, Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate