Critics Ratings

‘Beautifully perfumed lifted nose with pink flowers, red cherry zest, cranberry and sour red plum. Palate is very fresh, pure and crystalline with Parma violets, red berry crunch, red forest berries and an alluring brambly finish. Polished, satin tannins and a long vibrant finish.’ – Greg Sherwood MW, 94/100 (Sep 2020)

‘Now with 11% Pinotage included in the blend, up from 3% the previous year, the 2014 has a good weight and intensity of blue and black fruits. Clean, subtle raspberry acidity leads to a fairly woody, black pepper-spiked finish. 4,000 bottles produced.’ – James Button, Decanter.com, 92/100 (Jul 2019)

‘The 2014 Elpidios (which is now under the David & Nadia label) is a blend of 30% Syrah, 28% Carignan, 17% Cinsault, 14% Grenache and 11% Pinotage from seven vineyards of shale, schist, granite and iron-rich soils. Matured for 20 months in old 500-liter barrels, it has a composed bouquet with raspberry, cranberry leaf and light lavender scents. It is very floral. The palate is very well balanced with fine tannin, an open-knit and generous blend that expresses harmony and refinement on the finish, a saline tang lingering on the aftertaste. This is a strong follow-up to the outstanding 2013 Elpidios and it should age well over the next 12-15 years.’ – Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, 93/100 (Apr 2017)

‘Bright medium red. Deep perfume of red raspberry, spices, flowers and white pepper communicates a strong whole-cluster character. Thicker and more extract-rich than the 2015 Grenache, with lovely spicy lift to the flavors of raspberry, wild herbs and minerals. No shortage of spine here, but the wine's savory quality will give it early appeal. Finishes with suave tannins. Another excellent example of Swartland fruit at moderate alcohol (13.5%).’ – Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, 92/100 (Mar 2017)

‘Pale to mid ruby. This really does smell like the cocktail promised on the back label. Very complex and composed. Still quite a bit of structure – a firm line through all that fruit – but the tannins seem well in balance with all that opulent yet reined-in-by-terroir fruit. Spice and masses of depth. Such a light touch! Long, toasty on the finish, and rich – but with great energy too. Well done! Really very smart indeed, but beautifully original and definitively Swartland.’ – Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, 17/20 (Aug 2016)

Provenance

Private Client