Young Guns
Online-Only Auction, 17 - 28 November 2022
Young Guns | For the classicists and the geeks alike, an incredible collection
About the SessionWhat is a Young Gun?
A talented winemaker who pushes the boundaries, breaks the rules and creates cutting-edge wines with personality and energy. Young Guns either work, or have worked for notable estates, but also produce unique wines under their own labels. They are dynamic, working together in pushing the envelope and promoting brand SA. They are the winemakers who should be on your radar as they are making some of the most daring, innovative, and simply delicious wines in SA. They travel and taste extensively, drawing inspiration from the classics through to the more edgy, hip styles and techniques, from the profound and obscure wine regions of the world. And then they apply their own creative interpretations on home soil, often searching for unique vineyard sites, cultivars and old vines. The results are most often small in numbers and high in demand, selling out on release. They are the rising stars, the future icons and ultimately, tomorrow’s investment wines.
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About this Item
David and Rita Trafford discovered the future Sijnn land while on holiday in Malgas in 2000. The soil and landscape reminded them of Portugal and they were immediately intrigued. A purchase agreement and more than 200 soil profiles later, approximately ten hectares of vines were planted and the name Sijnn Wines was appropriated to the venture – fittingly so as the word 'sijnn' is derived from the Khoisan word meaning riverbank. Today Sijnn Wines has become well known for our interesting and bold choices of cultivars and award-winning blends.
David Trafford was inspired by Vega Sicilia's Unico Especial, the multi-vintage blend from Spain's most iconic winery. David was intrigued by the possibility of using different vintages as building blocks for something special, especially as soon as he realized the tremendous concentration they were getting from the Sijnn vineyard and the prolonged barrel ageing potential. David would never try and copy a wine, but he felt it's important to be inspired by other wines.
The idea was to pick the best barrel or two from each vintage to try and improve the wine from the one year to the next. The start was the fabulous 2009 vintage where Touriga Nacional was the star. (First C.W.G. Auction wine was a Sijnn Touriga Nacional 2009). In 2010 both the Syrah and the Touriga were pretty special. (Sijnn Red was Jancis Robinson's Wine of the Week and scored 93 by The Wine Spectator). At this stage David blended the wine into a single 700L barrel. David then purchased a 900L barrel for the next season's addition. The barrel was seasoned with some other wine before adding the 2011 Syrah. (Platter 5 star wines and CWG Auction wine).
David kept the wine in the special 900L barrel for some time checking from time to time if there was anything they could add that might improve the wine. Eventually he bottled the wine and waited a few years for the wine to settle and develop, before thinking of a name and playing around with label ideas.
One of Rita Trafford's beautiful eco-printed silk scarves looked like the famous pudding stones in the vineyard - and that was it – inspiration found and label done. This is a highly personal, handcrafted wine which has taken a lot of thought and effort over quite a few years.
Critics Ratings
'Dense ruby with a youthful rim the complex, forthcoming nose bursts forth with damson plums, mulberries and prickly pears giving way to layers of earthiness, fynbos herbal notes, forest floor, cola nut, spice and porcini dust. The nose seamlessly carries through to the palate where it feels as if fresh berries are popping lending a fresh, crisp acidity to the crushed velvet texture before allspice, nutmeg and black olive tapenade notes come through and a brilliant saline quality to finish. The wine evolved in the glass over half an hour developing an earthy Dutch cocoa and pink peppercorn notes. Energetic and explosive on the palate with a long finish, Free Reign First Edition is a beguiling, complex and richly textured wine that will reward judicious cellaring and last 30+ years.' - Debi van Flymen (Cape Wine Master) April 2018, (94/100)
‘Remarkable ‘1st edition’ of NV blend: 2009/10 Touriga Nacional, 2010/11 Shiraz. Some early tertiary development adding complexity, though colour youthful. Serious acid/tannin structure gives austere note to full, sweet fruit; lingering dry finish. Fascinating ‘meditation wine’. Also 1.5 & 3L.’ - Platter’s SA Wine Guide 2019, 4.5* (93 pts)
A début release from Sijnn, this is a non-vintage blend of 2009, 2010 and 2011, inspired by Vega Sicilia’s Unico. Blending Touriga Nacional with 49% Syrah, it’s scented, dense and very concentrated, all blood and iron and grip with undertones of aromatic thyme and rosemary. 2018-23.' - Tim Atkin MW, SA Special Report 2018, 92/100
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