The Treinspoor vineyard cultivates Tinta Barocca, a thin-skinned varietal protected by old bush vines from the intense Swartland sun. This grape uniquely combines Nebbiolo’s texture with Syrah’s aromatics, yielding wines of great character and longevity.
Winemaking involves fermenting 30% whole clusters and 70% destemmed fruit on skins for 25-30 days, with gentle “bucket overs” to manage Tinta Barocca’s abundant tannins.
Post-pressing, the wine matures for 11 months in 45-year-old conical wooden casks that impart no wood flavour, allowing slow oxygen interaction. It then settles for an additional month in concrete before bottling from the fine lees.
Tinta Barocca excels at expressing its terroir, conveying the Swartland’s character into the bottle. It offers spicy herbal aromatics and dark purple plum fruit within a tight, compressed core. Like Nebbiolo, its tannins demand proper ageing.
The 2024 Treinspoor opens with darker graphite and dried fig aromas, transcending into violets, perfumes, and pencil lead. This “lifted” version, with its purple hue, hints at a new definition for Tinta Barocca. The tannins are multi-layered, dense, and firm, creating an absolute block of a wine with a long, lingering finish. Please afford this wine time.
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