Sijnn is situated in the most marginal region in the Cape Winelands: Malgas. These wines are utterly unique, with no reference points but themselves, and they are just getting better.
The Red 2021 is the star of this release. It defies categorisation with a range of seven different French and Portuguese varieties, including Grenache for the first time. 2021 is among the best South African vintages in recent memory, and the Sijnn Red is easily one of our favourites from the vintage. Still youthful, it impresses with notes of damson, tapenade, salty liquorice and cherries, leading to a palate of dense black fruit, chiselled tannins, and a lingering grip. It’s a unicorn wine that’s made to last at least a decade.
The ‘perennially impressive’ (Platter’s Guide) Chenin-based White is stunning in 2023. That classic lime cordial, with dried fynbos and crushed stone minerality, is immediately inviting on the nose. Fresh, vibrant and offering a long life ahead, it opens with elderflower, white stone fruit and green mango. We’re particularly drawn to the shape of the wine – it’s round and full but completely restrained and textured on the finish, showing just how strong SA’s white blends are as a category.
You have to marvel at the vision and courage David Trafford had to start this groundbreaking project, joined in 2014 by winemaker Charla Bosman. With their poor, rocky soils and incredibly dry conditions, the math is simple: ‘The wines we produce here may be low yielding, but the quality is exceptional.’
Tasting Notes:
‘The Sijnn Red is gloriously sui generis, sourced from poor soils in the isolated region of Malgas. Made from seven different French and Portuguese varieties, including Carignan and Grenache for the first time, it’s a remarkable Syrah-based cuvée with engaging garrigue and incense aromas, flavours of damson, blood orange and tapenade, muscular tannins and a ferrous undertone.’ – Tim Atkin MW, SA Special Report 2024, 95/100
‘Perennially impressive chenin blend, with splashes viognier, roussane & verdelho, follows form: rich & buttery, with concentrated tropical fruit, delicate floral whiffs, weight & texture from barrel ferment/10 months in mostly older oak. Beautifully shaped. Also in 1.5 L, as Chenin.’ – Platter’s Guide, 4.5* (94/100)
