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Badenhorst, Secateurs Red, Swartland, 2019

Over the years this has changed from being a chunky blend based on Syrah to a more graceful one based on Cinsault (backed by Grenache and Shiraz), just rounded by time in large, old oak vats. The Cinsault makes this so easy drinking, with pretty red fruit backed by savoury and spice notes. Adi says "we’ve turned the Red Blend a bit upside down…Why? Because Cinsault is a fabulous grape and always a pleasure to drink". Now-2022

After many years as the chief winemaker at Rustenberg, Adi Badenhorst was ready to take on the challenge of making wines from the family-owned vineyards at Kalmoesfontein farm on the Paardeberg, and bringing back to life an abandoned winery, now fully renovated. What is his secret? Well, he is crafting wines in a very traditional, minimal interventionist manner, using concrete fermentation tanks and old oak, often big old barrels which give no wood tannins at all. Whilst he professes total naivety along the lines of "Ach, man, we dump it all in here and it just makes itself", he is also highly thoughtful. He prefers to leave his reds, post-fermentation, on their skins for 6-12 months - as he believes this delivers smooth tannins, texture and suppleness. He is also moving towards picking earlier, to avoid jamminess and to seek a more perfumed, Rhône-like style.