Cape Town - Pretty they’re not, but the vines at Sijnn are impressive examples of triumph over adversity.
Eight cultivars straggle over 125 hectares of windswept hillocks and dales near Malagas, their roots in inhospitable, fractured Bokkeveld shale, their stems surrounded by countless brown pebbles, or pudding stones to give them their correct name. They made decorative if uncomfortable paths between the rows, as we followed David Trafford on a sunset tour where he showed us mature shiraz, alongside cultivars like chenin and viognier.
Younger vineyards include mourvèdre, touriga nacional, trincadeira and roussanne, which are already contributing Med flavours and complexity to Sijnn wines.
About 70m below, the Breede river curls then disappears on its journey to the Indian Ocean at Cape Infanta, 25km downstream.
Only twice a year does Trafford pump river water up to irrigate these hardy vines.
Sjinn was established in 2003, when David and Rita Trafford planted warm-weather, mostly Mediterranean varieties on the dry but windy plateau where the family have a holiday house. David predicted, correctly, that the vines would produce tiny yields of concentrated fruit, with complex mineral character. Up to now, he has trucked his small harvest (about three tons per hectare) to Stellenbosch to be vinified in the De Trafford cellar, but this will change next year. Putting his architectural training to good use, he has designed and built a simple, functional cellar at Sijnn, perched high among the vineyards.
It served as an attractive venue for guests to toast its future, with a deep terrace acting as the bar area as nature added a fiery sunset.
Sijnn’s 2012 White, a chenin finished with viognier, made an appropriate aperitif, while a splash of roussanne added spice to its equally enjoyable 2013 successor.
Inside the cellar, a long table was set for a five-course dinner that well complemented a succession of exciting wines, some of which hint at wild herbs and fynbos, others offering sophisticated elegance and restraint. Each is worthy of leisurely sampling, and we were often poured two vintages of the wine for comparison.
Among the best are the 2009 and 2010 vintages of Sijnn Red – intriguing blends of shiraz and touriga nacional with mourvèdre, a little trincadeira and a soupçon of cab.
The 2011 Saignee, a savoury and serious rosé starring shiraz and trincadeira, reflects the local vegetation and should not be missed.
There’s more to come, with the imminent plantings of tempranillo, nebbiolo and grenache. Winelovers will soon be beating a path down the dirt road from the N2 to Sijnn, which is the original Khoisan name for the Breede river that encircles this connoisseur’s venue.
* Sijnn is open for tastings and sales on Saturdays from 9am to3pm. For details, see www.sijnn.co.za or contact 021 880 1611.
Weekend Argus