Written by Clifford Roberts; Photography by Johan Viljoen
Old vines are a treasure for South African wine, revealed in large part by the work of Riebeek Valley local Rosa Kruger and Swartland winemakers, and – in no small part – by the dedication of passionate growers. Significantly, many of these vineyards, like Sk’windjiesvlei in the Paardeberg, survive not on nostalgia but the immense quality of fruit they deliver.
Sk’windjiesvlei is situated just off the R45 between Malmesbury and Paarl, on the Hewett Family farm of Boesmanfontein. According to Richard “Dickie” Hewett’s VINPRO data, the vineyard was planted in 1966, making it one of the oldest blocks of Tinta Barocca around.
The nearby Tinta Barocca vineyard at Lammershoek/Zwartwater was planted in 1969, says CEO and winemaker Stefan Johannes, but at the time of writing, it remained out of production.
Even rarer for Sk’windjiesvlei is the use of its very limited production in single cultivar wines, like those made by Adi Badenhorst and Andre Bruyns of City on a Hill. JC Wickens of Swerwer has used the grapes in his red blend and Ronelle Niemann of Momento used it in a blend of three old Tinta Barocca vineyards located in a spread of regions.
Tinta Barocca once abounded in the Swartland. In the period from the 1960s to the 1980s, when the region’s soils and climate were believed to be only suitable for bulk production and the making of sweet and fortified wines, Tinta Barocca rose especially as the backbone of port wines. Fruit from the many quality blocks that existed was lumped together with others in the chase to satisfy massive demand.
This gradually changed, but many vineyards had to give way until the premium value of numerous older vineyards was realised.
André Bruyns describes the Sk’windjiesvlei vineyard as “a step back in time”. In making the wine, he sought to pay “homage to a variety with deep roots in Swartland winegrowing; a wine that embodies the heritage and history of the Swartland.
“Historically famous for producing robust, age-worthy port-style wines and powerfully tannic table wines, this Tinta Barocca vineyard produces pure and refined floral qualities with great structure. It’s a wine with a firm handshake – rich, deeply satisfying, and possessing the backbone to age beautifully for years to come,” he says.
The vineyard has a southeasterly aspect and is planted at what is essentially the foot of the granite-dominant Paardeberg outcrop. In addition to weathered granite, the soils also contain quartz and clay.
For Adi Badenhorst, the vineyard ranks among the most important in the Swartland – not only for its age, but also for the quality.
“This wine is a tribute to all old vine Tinta Baroccas of South Africa, which for a long time have supported some beautifully fine ‘red blends’ but seldom got the recognition they deserve,” says Marelise Niemann of her creation in 2023.
What the future holds for Sk’windjies and others like it, however, only time will tell. According to Dickie Hewett, the vineyard has lost individual vines over the years. Its most recent size of 6.05ha has shrunk to just three hectares.
For the lucky few still able to make wine from it, and those able to get their hands on the very limited bottles that will come, this is a Swartland treasure worth holding onto for as long as possible.
