2018 Sadie Family Swartland 'T Voetpad

T'Voetpad means The Footpath in Dutch and is the name of Dirk Brand's farm, where this extraordinary block of old vines is tucked away at the foot of the mountains. In a country of far-flung, isolated vineyards, this is believed to be the most isolated old vineyard in the country. Its 1.4 hectares host a clutch of varieties--Semillon Blanc, Semillon Gris, Palomino, Chenin Blanc and Muscat--progressively established between 1900-1928. All of the vines grow on their own roots. The vineyard lies in a hot valley in the north of Swartland, near the village of Aurora and Elands Bay on the coast, and its survival without irrigation--thanks to an underground river that flows underneath the mountain--is extraordinary. No herbicides are used, and in non-drought years, grasses between the vines help dry out the soils, while also driving the vine roots deeper. T'Voetpad's soils are heavily decomposed sandstone, and the wine it gifts is a true field blend; the varieties are picked and pressed together, before co-fermenting in old wooden casks.

Other Reviews....
T'Voetpad is my South African white wine of the year for the second time in succession, but one thing is certain: it will be someone else's turn next year, as no 2019 was produced. This incredible old vineyard, preserved from the bulldozers by its isolation and a certain amount of bloody mindedness, is a field blend of Semillon, Palomino, Chenin Blanc and Muscat, perfectly combined in a wine that should sell for five times the price. Pear, lime, beeswax, citrus and orange peel flavours segue into a salty, mineral-etched finish.
99 points
Tim Atkin MW

The 2018 T'Voetpad has a perfumed bouquet of nectarine, jasmine and wet wool, nicely defined but requiring a little encouragement from the glass. The palate is fresh and vibrant on the entry, offering orange peel and marmalade notes, a tang of lemongrass and a bright, effervescent finish that lingers in the mouth. Delightful.
93 points
Neal Martin, Vinous