95+/100 - Greg Sherwood, MW, A Fine Wine Safari.
"Yet again, the maverick old vine innovator Ian Naude has struck a rich seam of vinous gold with his mouth-watering Langpad Colomard." Greg Sherwood
"This second vintage of Naude’s old vine Colombard is something very special. Whether it’s all down to vintage quality or Ian’s swift mastering of this new grape in his repertoire I don’t know. The aromatics are positively explosive with rich intense notes of green apple pastille, crunchy white peaches, pear puree, dried herbs, wet hay and a seductive rich seam of cream soda. On the palate, there seems to be even more concentration and flavour intensity than the impressive maiden 2020 with these happy old vines spinning their spellbinding magic and delivering a wine with layer upon layer of enchanting peachy fruit, seductive hints of ripe guava, pear, quince and an underlying basaltic stony minerality that combines with a pronounced maritime salinity and a bright tart freshness. It is perhaps the almost volcanic feel to the minerality that makes many fans suggest that this wine reminds them of an old vine Assyrtiko wine from the Greek island of Santorini. Cool, crystalline and intense, this pristine white leaves little to the imagination and smothers the senses in pure, crystalline West Coast pleasure. Drink now on release or age for 5 to 8+ years." Greg Sherwood
It is immediately delicious and quite irresistible, but Ian (Naudé) thinks it will last 15/20 years… the only solution is to buy some for now and some for later!
Planted in 1983 and grown in the Vredendal-area on the West Coast, the farm lays about 35km from the ocean. We were amazed at how classic this cultivar can present itself, beginning with a gorgeous white crisp peach and pear on the nose, and finishing with that saline salty freshness.
100% Colombard
CLIMATE / SEASON: The 2021 harvest was picked roughly two weeks earlier than the 2020-vintage (which was picked a week later than “normal”) due to sudden a heat wave. Typical days in that area are hot to very hot, with evenings cooling down dramatically. As there is no mountains or hills in that area, a salty air blows in from the ocean - roughly 35km away – during the evening. This creates a fogginess that lingers during the night and when the sun rises the next morning, a Kelpy seaspray gets left behind and eventually gets dried by the hot sun on the vines.
WINEMAKING & VINIFICATION: Arriving in South Africa in the early 1700’s, Colombard (or Colombar as pronounced by some locals), became a variety that few talk about yet many often drank some form of it, as it was mostly used for distilling. Showing an interest in varietals grown in the West Coast, I discovered Colombard. I believe that old vineyards have their own story to tell, and Colombard is no exception. My job is to bottle that story. The soil is 100% sand and with that comes the opportunity to make use of floodirrigation whereas the whole vineyard gets flooded, allowing the water to filter down through the sand into the deep roots of the vine. Picked in small crates, from the truck and straight into whole-bunch pressing. Natural fermentation started after about 3 days. Thereafter wine was kept on the lees for as long as possible, because that is where the “magic” happens as complex flavours and texture develops. Because nature has already done the work, the winemaking process is kept as natural as possible with minimal interference.
TASTING NOTES: We are amazed at how classic this cultivar can present itself, beginning with a gorgeous white crisp peach and pear on the nose, finishing with that saline salty freshness.
ANALYSIS Alc. 12% | RS 1.3 g/L | TA 6.1 g/L | pH 3.3 g/L
AGEING POTENTIAL 15+ years.
