Winemaker Notes
The aroma is characterized by red fruits, a stony scent and dark spices. An excellent, elegant wine that belongs to the best in its class. Very underrated.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Blackberry and damson plum flavors are laced with notes of loam, underbrush and rose hip in this beautifully balanced red. Very elegant, with vibrant acidity and supple tannins, this moves gracefully across the palate, never lacking intensity. Anise and black tea hints emerge on the long finish. Drink now through 2030.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Old Vine Series Treinspoor made form Tinta Barocca begins quietly brooding in the glass with a serious nose that is dark-fruited. On the palate, the wine has an unrelenting tannic edge with a firm mineral grip that grabs you by the gum line and doesn't let go. The tannic expression echoes of Nebbiolo from Northern Italy. Clearly it will take years to settle down, or you are going to need carpaccio. Full-bodied and tightly mineral on the finish, the wine is going to need five to seven years before you can properly enjoy this bottle by itself.
Beyond the usual suspects, there are hundreds of red grape varieties grown throughout the world. Some are indigenous specialties capable of producing excellent single varietal wines, while others are better suited for use as blending grapes. Each has its own distinct viticultural characteristics, as well as aroma and flavor profiles, offering much to be discovered by the curious wine lover. In particular, Portugal and Italy are known for having a multitude of unique varieties but they can really be found in any region.
Literally meaning "the black land," Swartland takes its name from the endangered, indigenous "renosterbos" (translating to rhino bush), which used to be plentiful enough to turn the entire landscape a dark color certain during times of year. The district, attracting some of the most adventurous and least interventionist winemakers, excels in robust and full-bodied reds as well as quality fortified wines.