Provenance

Wine Cellar Private Client

Critics Ratings

2003:
'Deep straw color. Waxy, exotic aromas of dried peach, orange and honey. Rich and velvety in the mouth, with notes of orange, nuts and marzipan. With aeration, fruitier flavors of apricot and pear nectar became dominant. The wine's very slight sweetness is buffered by edgy orange acidity. Builds nicely toward the back but shows some alcoholic warmth in the way of a white wine from Priorat. But this blend boasts better retention of primary fruit than most white wines from the hottest parts of Spain and France.' - Stephen Tanzer, Vinous (Mar 2005)

2005:
'Deeper gold than the 2007. More honeyed though still something cedary. Lanolin and honey and yet still so utterly fresh. Again, there's something Portuguese here (reminds me of Encruzado). Deep and fine grained and complex and long. Great concentration and still so much more to come.' - Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, 18/20 (Oct 2012)

'Pioneering Swartland blend, ±40% Viognier, with Chenin, Chardonnay, and Grenache Blanc. '05 most elegant yet, still rich and succulent, with mineral and tannic elements, lingering finish. Flourishes of peach/apricot, citrus over earthy bass-notes. Powerful, but big alcohol in satin-textured balance, with 3.7g/l sugar imperceptible in savoury acidity. 18 months French oak, 40% new. Like fine 04, it should mature a few years at least. Unfined and unfiltered.' - Platter's SA Wine Guide 2007, 4.5*

2006:
'Singular blend, 30% each Viognier and Chenin, with Chardonnay and Grenache Blanc. 'More structural than flavour sensation' says Eben Sadie of the '06, and what a build! Waves of stonefruit woven into tingling minerality, bone-dry sensation to echoing length. Like previous vintages, it should mature well.' - Platter's SA Wine Guide 2008, 4.5*

'Rich but nervy, with a wide range of chamomile, orange blossom, white peach, green almond, salted butter and mineral notes. Really fleshes out with air, but also keeps its bracing edge all the way through.' - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator, 92/100 (May 2008)

2007:
'13 different vineyards - all decomposed granite. Soil specialist Claude Bourguignon says some of the most decomposed in the world! Honeysuckle nose. Green and quite stemmy on the nose, the last vintage that was all made in barrel, 20% new. Very rich and dense and still exciting. So vital and rich without being sweet.' - Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, 18/20 (Apr 2014)

'Breathtaking elevation of Chenin: a singular, wondrous tactile sensation. '07 with Grenache Blanc, Clairette Blanche, Viogier and Chardonnay; stonefruit knitted into tingling minerality. Like '06, it is also a stayer. Berry sorting, 18 months French oak. Sheer gravitas…' - Platter's SA Wine Guide 2009, 4.5*

2009:
'Rich, appley. Good fruit on the mid palate. Exciting, dense and long. Toasted nuts and apples on the finish. No oak any more from 2009. Intense and introvert. Like lemon cough sweets but still too young. Smoked meats and spicy. Very angular.' - Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, 18/20 (Apr 2014)

'A Cape benchmark, 2009 Chenin-led blend of 6 varieties, unfurls fleshy white stonefruit and glacé pineapple. Packed with impressive minerality, underpinned by harmonious acidity, subtle oaking. 18 months on lees in 600 and 1800L vats.' - Platter's SA Wine Guide 2011, 5*

'Fermented in a combination of 500-liter barrels, foudres and cement, the 2009 Palladius is a blend of (deep breath) old Chenin Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Verdelho, Clairette and Palomino aged for two years in barrel. It has a crystalline bouquet with scents of dried honey, beeswax, hazelnut, broom and a faint touch of pinecone. The palate is very well balanced with good acidity and precision; notes of walnut, honeysuckle, orange zest and a little spice. It displays impressive persistence in the mouth and you find yourself contemplating this wine long after you have swallowed it, each sip slightly different to the last. Sublime.' - Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, 94/100 (Aug 2011)

2010:
'Bold, broad and creamy, featuring ginger, warm brioche, persimmon and creamed peach flavors, with toasted hazelnut notes embedded in the core and lingering through the finish. Exhibits noteworthy balance and definition. Drink now through 2015. 750 cases made.' - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator, 93/100 (2013)

'The 2010 Palladius is a blend of (takes a deep breath) Chenin, Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne, Marsanne, Clairette, Semillon Blanc, Semillon Gris, Palomino and Verdelho. This choir of white varieties is aged for 24 months in a combination of old wooden casks, concrete eggs and amphora. It has a very fine bouquet with light pressed flowers, a touch of hazelnut and hints of orange blossom. The palate is where it all happening with crisp acidity, a vivacious white with crisp apricot, orange peel and passion fruit. It is tightly coiled towards the finish, focusing upon precision rather than power. This is a wine that demands respect. Drink now-2019+.' - Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, 93/100 (2012)

'Not particularly aromatic, though the sample is very cold. Fine, restrained oak overlay. So classy. There's grapefruit and lemon and it verges towards lime. Beautifully clear cut and fresh, the oak in a purely supportive role but adding a mealy facet to the texture. Very very young but already so delicious.' - Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, 18/20 (Oct 2012)