POFADDER 2025: Cinsaut | Swartland, Riebeeksrivier | Die Distriksreeks

This 2025 Pofadder is potentially one of our best bottlings ever - Eben Sadie

Named for the venomous puff adder found in the Swartland veld, Pofadder is old vine Cinsaut (once known in the Cape as Hermitage) grown on iron rich slate soils in Riebeeksrivier. Cinsaut is notoriously demanding to farm and vinify well, but old vines on the right site can produce something remarkable, and this bottling makes the case.

Concrete tanks are filled around 30% whole cluster and 70% destemmed for a roughly 30 day skin fermentation, pressed in an old basket press. The wine then moves into 28 year old conical wooden casks, old and saturated enough to impart no oak flavour, just a slow, gentle exposure to oxygen over 11 months on the lees. A further month settling in concrete precedes bottling, with 60mg/L sulphur added beforehand.

Tasting Notes: Bright strawberry and red berry fruit meet spicy, peppery notes and a lift of violets. Where the aromatics suggest softness, the palate delivers surprisingly firm, well integrated tannin that builds into real complexity and length. The Sadie family consider this among their finest Pofadder bottlings to date. A slight early bottling reduction means it benefits from a decant if opened young.

Food Pairing: Pofadder is wonderfully versatile at the table, combining bright fruit with savoury spice and firm structure, making it ideal for dishes with aromatic herbs, gentle spice, and roasted flavours; classic pairings include duck confit with lentils, where richness balances tannins and earthy notes echo its slate‑derived minerality, and charcoal‑grilled pork with fennel and apple, whose sweetness mirrors strawberry fruit while fennel lifts floral aromatics; grilled chicken with rosemary, thyme, and lemon keeps fruit purity and pepper spice centre stage, while Mediterranean dishes like lamb koftas, slow‑cooked shoulder, aubergine, peppers, and tomato enhance spicy complexity without overwhelming elegance; South African favourites such as boerewors, lamb sosaties, or kudu loin with roasted vegetables pair beautifully, with lively acidity refreshing the palate and tannins handling smoky flavours; vegetarian options like roasted mushrooms, charred cauliflower with tahini, lentil moussaka, or roasted tomato pasta showcase floral aromatics and savoury undertones, while cheeses such as mature Gouda, Tomme de Savoie, Pecorino Toscano, or lightly aged Cheddar complement spice and respect fruit; though approachable young, decanting reveals greater aromatic complexity, making Pofadder exceptional with refined Mediterranean and South African cuisine.

ANALYSIS: ALC 13.5% | TA 5.7g/L | pH 3.35 | RS 1.5g/L