Sadie Family Swartland Treinspoor Tinta Barocca 2024

Swartland. “It’s a Swartland thing,” notes Sadie of Tinta Barocca (the South African spelling has only one ‘r’ and two ‘c’s). This variety arrived in South Africa from the Douro and has found an opportune home in the Western Cape. Historically, Tinta das Baroccas (as it was once labelled) has played a prominent role in Swartland’s red blends, and interest in the variety—particularly from old, dry-grown vineyards—has spiked in recent years.

This vineyard, planted in 1974 and located next to the old railway line (treinspoor), lies four kilometres west of Malmesbury on decomposed granite and sandstone. Sadie notes that while the very fragile, thin skin of Tinta Barocca is prone to sunburn, the site’s old bush vines keep the bunches sheltered from Swartland’s intense sun. He likens his Treinspoor to a sort of stylistic cross between Northern Rhône Syrah (black cherry/blackcurrant/grenadine fruit, iodine and nettles) and Piedmontese Nebbiolo (spice, flowers, acidity and tannins). “It has Piedmont-like tannins and Northern Rhône aromatics,” says Eben. Regardless, as you can read below, it’s an outstanding, idiosyncratic red. Eben notes that the 2024 “is one of the most lifted versions, and the purple hue also suggests a new definition of Tinta Barocca, or at least for us.”

“This spicy, brooding yet pure wine has aromas of licorice, violets, blackberries, cranberries, graphite and hints of fennel. It’s medium- to full-bodied, firm and focused, with fantastic spicy undertones. Lots of structure. Tight and firm finish. Tinta barroca from 50-year-old vines.” 96 points, JamesSuckling.com

“One of the greatest Mediterranean grapes," says Eben Sadie of Tinta Barroca, although he concedes that it needs time in bottle as well as the glass. A red for fans of Italian wines – it reminds me of Sagrantino - Treinspoor is dense, chewy and a little scary, with violet, thyme, tar and liquorice aromas and flavours of damson and plum skin complemented by chewy tannins. 2027-34.” 95 points, Tim Atkin MW, South Africa Special Report 2025