David & Nadia Skaliekop Chenin Blanc 2019

Region and Vineyards

The Swartland, north of Cape Town, is celebrated for its rugged landscapes, warm Mediterranean climate, and ability to produce wines of both concentration and finesse. The Paardeberg, a granite-dominated mountain, stands out as one of the region’s most celebrated areas. However, the Skaliekop vineyard is unique due to its shallow shale soils, a rarity in a largely granite-driven area.

Planted in 1985, the vines are dry-farmed bush vines, thriving in challenging conditions that restrict yields and encourage exceptional concentration in the fruit. The vineyard’s shale soils prove challenging in this warm region, making Skaliekop a true anomaly within the Paardeberg. This demanding terroir imparts a distinct mineral character, vibrancy, and tension to the wine.

Winemaking

David & Nadia embrace a philosophy of biological farming in the vineyard and natural winemaking in the cellar, ensuring the wine captures the vineyard's essence. The Chenin Blanc grapes are hand-harvested at the end of January, reflecting their focus on precise ripeness and balance.

Once harvested, the grapes undergo whole-bunch pressing to preserve their delicate aromas and avoid harsh phenolic extraction. The juice is fermented naturally using indigenous yeasts in a combination of neutral French oak barrels, allowing the wine to develop texture and depth without overpowering the purity of the fruit. The wine spends extended time on its lees, enhancing its complexity, mouthfeel, and subtle richness.

This hands-off approach, combined with careful vineyard management, results in a Chenin Blanc that perfectly expresses its unique shale-soil origins, while maintaining freshness and elegance.

Tasting Notes

• Color: Pale gold with vibrant clarity.
• Aroma: A refined and mineral-driven nose, with notes of pear, quince, and hints of citrus blossom, interwoven with subtle tones of wet stone and saline minerality.
• Palate: Textured and layered, offering flavors of green apple, lemon zest, and ripe stone fruit, balanced by a lively acidity. The mineral tension provides structure, leading to a precise, clean, and persistent finish.

Did You Know?

The Skaliekop vineyard is named for its shallow shale soils, a distinctive feature that sets it apart from the predominantly granite soils of the Paardeberg. This unique terroir, combined with dry-farming practices, results in low yields—2.4 tons per hectare—but exceptional fruit quality and concentration.

Wine Pairing Ideas

• Grilled prawns with lemon butter: The wine’s vibrant acidity and saline notes complement the sweetness of the prawns and the richness of the butter.
• Roasted chicken with thyme and fennel: The wine’s texture and mineral character pair beautifully with the herbaceous and savory flavors of the dish.
• Pan-seared sea bass with a citrus sauce: The minerality and citrus tones of the wine enhance the freshness of the fish.
• Soft goat cheese with fresh figs: The wine’s lively acidity balances the creamy texture of the cheese and highlights the sweetness of the figs.

History of David & Nadia

David Sadie grew up in the Swartland and studied viticulture and oenology at Stellenbosch University. After gaining experience in both South Africa and abroad, he developed a winemaking style focused on purity, precision, and site expression. Nadia Sadie, a trained soil scientist and viticulturist, complements the project with her deep understanding of Swartland’s complex geology. Together, they launched the David & Nadia label in 2013, with their first wine—a Grenache Noir—sourced from a single dryland bush vine vineyard in Paardeberg.

Early on, the couple did not own vineyards. Instead, they built lasting relationships with growers across Swartland, carefully selecting plots of old bush vines that aligned with their ethos of sustainable farming and minimal intervention. In 2014, they began producing Chenin Blanc, which would become the backbone of their range. Over the years, the project expanded to include a portfolio of both single-vineyard wines and blends, and David eventually stepped away from his role at another winery to focus solely on their brand.

They joined the Swartland Independent Producers (SIP) movement and are vocal advocates for dry-farming, low-yielding bush vines, and natural viticulture. Their philosophy rests on the idea that wine is made in the vineyard: “We don’t chase varietal expression,” David says. “We want the site to speak.”

Region and Vineyards

Swartland has become one of South Africa’s most exciting wine regions, known for its granite, shale, and iron-rich soils, Mediterranean climate, and wealth of heritage bush vines, especially Chenin Blanc. David & Nadia work exclusively with dry-farmed bush vines, many of which are 35 to 55 years old, across a selection of 13 to 15 parcels primarily in the Paardeberg, Kasteelberg, and Malmesbury areas.

The terroir diversity of Swartland plays a key role in their wines. Granitic soils from the Paardeberg contribute elegance, freshness, and salinity to their whites. Shale-rich sites on Kasteelberg add texture, while iron-oxide-rich soils around Malmesbury bring power and structure to the reds.

All their vineyards are either certified organic, in conversion, or managed sustainably, with cover crops and minimal chemical use. They champion low yields, averaging 3 to 4 tonnes per hectare, to enhance concentration and expression. David & Nadia’s work has also helped revive and preserve old vine parcels that might otherwise have been lost.

Wine Range of David & Nadia

The David & Nadia portfolio is built on two foundational categories: the main range and the single-vineyard wines, with both tiers united by a philosophy of restraint, finesse, and age-worthiness.

Their core range includes:

• David & Nadia Chenin Blanc – A multi-site blend from eight old vineyards, showcasing Swartland’s Chenin Blanc in its most balanced form.
• Grenache Noir – One of the most refined Grenaches in South Africa, made with whole-bunch fermentation and aged in old oak for minimal extraction.
• Elpidios – A Rhône-style red blend (Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Carignan, and Pinotage), offering fragrance, structure, and aging potential.

Their Single Vineyard Series focuses on terroir transparency and includes:

• Hoë-Steen Chenin Blanc – From a 1968-planted vineyard in Paardeberg; textured, saline, and tightly wound, often rated among the top white wines in South Africa.
• Skaliekop – From shale soils in Kasteelberg, noted for its richness and tension.
• Plat’Bos, Siebritskloof, and Witberg – Each representing different soil types and altitudes, giving a spectrum of Swartland Chenin expression.

All wines are made using spontaneous fermentation, gentle pressing, minimal sulphur, and no fining or filtration. Fermentation is typically done in old barrels or foudre to preserve site character, with aging often lasting 11 to 12 months.

Their style is best described as Burgundian in philosophy but Swartland in soul—nuanced, textural, and driven by minerality rather than ripeness.

Did you know?

David & Nadia’s Hoë-Steen vineyard is a member of the Old Vine Project, South Africa’s initiative to protect vines older than 35 years. With roots dating back to 1968, it is among the oldest Chenin Blanc vineyards still in production in the Cape.