A rather rare, very unusual wine… AA Badenhorst ‘Salt of the Earth’
SOME WINES are pretty much ‘one of a kind’, almost incomparable. Some of them from the Cape winelands…
In South Africa, Palomino grapes are/were used mainly for the production of Sherry and Sherry-styled wines. “Very few of these vineyards remain,” reflects Adi Badenhorst of the family wine business AA Badenhorst on the farm Kalmoesfontein among the Paardeberg foothills outside Malmesbury.
“Sout van die Aarde Palomino is a vineyard up on the West Coast, just north of the town of Dwarskersbos. The farm is called Brakkuil and owned by the Voges family. Sheer limestone soils and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean make this tiny bottling completely unique in vinous profile.”
Dwarskersbos is a fishing village north-east of Velddrif in the very northern reaches of the Swartland wine district and some 150km from the Badenhorsts’ spread. “The old vines stand high out the sandy top soils, their roots going deep into the limestone bedrock. The salty sea winds and mists drench their leaves, making this a truly unique site.”
AA BADENHORST SOUT VAN DIE AARDE PALOMINO 2021
WO Swartland (West Coast). Sandy topsoil, limestone bedrock. 100% Palomino (aka Fransdruif). “Very straightforward winemaking approach.” Whole-bunch grape pressing. Fermentation in older vats. “Wine spent 11 months in 500L cask before it was bottled with a small sulphur addition.” 1350 bottles produced.
Alc 13.5 | RS 1.5 | TA 4.6 | pH 3.4
Cellarmaster Adi Badenhorst’s Tasting Notes: “Shows the vineyard and varietal very well… Pure, delicate, vinous and savoury/salty.”
R500pb (approximate retail price).
Also in this series:
• Ayama Vermentino
• Bosman Nero (d’Avola)
• DaschBosch Avon Clairette Blanche
• Diemersdal Grüner Veltliner
• Kloovenburg Lledoner Pelut
• Lemberg Hárslevelü
• Lowerland Tolbos Tannat
• Lozärn Carménère
• Newton Johnson Albariño
• Stellenbosch Vineyards Ltd Release Therona
