David & Nadia Skaliekop Chenin Blanc 2022

Region and Vineyards

The Swartland, located north of Cape Town, is one of South Africa's most expressive wine regions, known for its old bush vines and remarkable diversity of soils. While the Paardeberg is largely dominated by decomposed granite, the Skaliekop vineyard is an anomaly, rooted in shallow shale soils. These soils are difficult for viticulture in a dryland context, demanding resilience from the vines but rewarding with concentration and unique mineral intensity.

The Chenin Blanc vines were planted in 1985, making them nearly four decades old. Their dry-farmed bush-vine structure yields naturally low production, ensuring depth and character in the fruit. Skaliekop lies adjacent to the Plat'bos vineyard, separated only by a narrow tractor road, and together they represent some of the most authentic expressions of Swartland Chenin Blanc. The vineyard carries the Certified Heritage Vineyards (CHV) seal and is part of the Old Vine Project (OVP), preserving South Africa's viticultural legacy.

Winemaking

Harvesting took place in mid-February 2022, with two separate picking dates to capture balance between ripeness and acidity. The parcels were vinified and aged individually before blending. Fermentation occurred spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, reinforcing the estate's commitment to minimal intervention.

The wine matured for 11 months in old, neutral French oak barrels, which add texture without overt oak influence, preserving purity of fruit and site expression. Bottled at the end of the year, the final wine shows the hallmarks of the producer's style: precision, freshness, and authenticity. The 2022 vintage yielded 2,505 bottles only, underscoring its rarity.

Tasting Notes

• Color: Pale straw with green glints, luminous and precise.
• Aroma: Citrus zest, quince, and yellow apple layered with chamomile, wet stone, and subtle honeyed tones. Saline and mineral nuances underline the shale origins.
• Palate: Linear and vibrant, with a fine backbone of acidity. The mid-palate shows texture and depth, balancing fruit richness with taut minerality. Long, focused finish with lingering notes of lemon peel and crushed rock.

Did you know?

The Skaliekop vineyard is unusual in the Paardeberg for its shale-based soils rather than granite. This distinction is key to the wine's personality, giving it a more austere and mineral-driven profile compared to other Chenins of the region. It also forms part of South Africa's Old Vine Project, dedicated to protecting vines over 35 years old, a movement that has elevated the global prestige of Cape Chenin Blanc.

Wine Pairing Ideas

• Fresh oysters with lemon - the saline minerality mirrors the maritime freshness.
• Grilled sea bass with fennel - the wine's acidity and texture complement delicate white fish.
• Roast chicken with lemon and thyme - classic flavors resonate with Chenin's citrus and herbal notes.
• Comté cheese - the wine's depth and acidity cut through the cheese's nuttiness.

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.