Naudé Langpad Colombard 2023

Langpad 2023 (long road) – The first 'old vine certified' Colombard produced in South Africa.

This fabulous white has all the seduction and appeal you could possibly want from an old vine expression showing amplified aromatics of crunchy white peaches, green apple pastille, cream soda nuances, grated limes, crushed tangerine peels and a dusty, granitic liquid minerality. On the palate, Ian Naude has managed to coax out the most regal of the old vine Colombard characteristics, revealing an impressively linear, taut mid-palate texture, crisp crystalline green fruit notes and a clarity as pure as freshly driven snow. With just enough glycerol weight and acid effervescence, this wine will not only make the perfect stand-alone aperitif white but will also be a champion food matching partner with its pronounced pithy, piquant, subtly bitter lemon finish and its classic Cape West Coast bite of sea salt on the long, briney, granadilla and guava tinged finish. This wine is the taste of excitement, long hot balmy carefree summers that you don’t want to end and chilled fresh Bellini cocktails on a Cape West Coast beach. A truly evocative wine. Drink from release or cellar comfortably for 3 to 8+ years.  95/100 Greg Sherwood MW

CLIMATE / SEASON

Due to much cooler evenings, we picked the 2020 harvest at least a week later than in previous years. The mornings were foggy and chilly, resulting in the vineyards taking slightly longer to ripen. Daytime temperatures average at a hot 38 degrees Celsius, followed by a drastic drop in temperatures during the nights.

WINEMAKING & VINIFICATION

Arriving in South Africa during the 1920s, Colombard (or Colombar as pronounced by some locals), became a variety that few talk about, yet many (knowingly or unknowingly) often drink some form of it. Mostly used as a blending grape (or to produce Brandy or Cognac), Colombard’s neutral character opens itself up to various personalities. But when the vines are planted in the right place and have been in the ground for long enough, Colombard becomes a mirror reflecting its terroir. This is when the grape is really able to shine. I believe that old vineyards have their own story to tell, and Colombard is no exception. My job is to bottle that story.

Picked in small crates, from the truck and straight into whole-bunch pressing. Natural fermentation started after about 3 days. Thereafter wine was kept on the lees for as long as possible because that is where the “magic” happens as complex flavours and texture develops. Because nature has already done the work, the winemaking process is kept as natural as possible with minimal interference.

TASTING NOTES

Our Old Vines Colombard was grown on a 35-year-old vine in the Vredendal-area, on the West Coast of South Africa. The farm lies about 35km from the ocean, resulting in an amazing Kelpy seaspray finish. We were amazed at how classic this cultivar can present itself, beginning with a gorgeous white peach and passion fruit on the nose, followed by pears and peaches and finishing with that saline salty freshness. The resulting wine is beautifully balanced and precise. True to its origins, it is understated and classical with a fine linear textural focus; however, the palate is focused and bright, bristling with excitement due to its prominent acidity. The long, saline finish will keep you coming back for more, but we recommend that you try and keep a few bottles back for ageing.

ANALYSIS:
Alc. 12%
RS 1.1 g/L
TA 5.9 g/L
pH 3.4 g/L

AGEING POTENTIAL: 10+ years.