Skerpioen 2025: Co-planted chenin blanc & palomino on aeolian sand overlaying marine sediments & limestone. 

This vintage is extremely linear and focused, and a slightly more restrained version with finesse.
Go find some oysters!

Skerpioen, Afrikaans for "scorpion," comes from a rare, unirrigated limestone site midway between Dwarskersbos and Elands Bay, a mere two kilometres from the Atlantic. It's one of the coolest, driest and windiest corners of the Swartland, and this co-fermented Chenin Blanc and Palomino blend shows it, with an unmistakably saline, mineral character.

Grapes are cooled after harvest before whole bunch pressing, a slow three hour process that lets the juice settle naturally. The juice then moves to two old Acacia and Oak foudres for a fully natural fermentation, which can take five days or more to start and one to six months to finish, sometimes carrying through to the following spring alongside malolactic fermentation. The wine ages 12 months on its fermentation lees in cask, with only about 50ppm of sulphur added before bottling straight from the barrel. Yield: 28 hl/ha.

Tasting Notes: Lemon zest and honeysuckle sit over the wine's signature saline, chalky core. The 2025 is the most linear and restrained Skerpioen yet, built on focus and finesse rather than richness. As the Sadie family themselves put it: go find some oysters.

Food Pairing: Practically built for oysters and other raw or lightly cooked seafood: Displaying lemon zest, honeysuckle, and a saline edge, Skerpioen is tailor‑made for oysters, prawns, and ceviche. Its linear acidity and restrained finesse highlight delicate seafood, while goat cheese, fresh salads, and Asian dishes with citrus and ginger find balance in its freshness. The wine’s chalky minerality and coastal character make it a natural companion to shellfish platters, offering a crisp, mouthwatering lift with every sip.

ANALYSIS: ALC 13.5% | TA 5.8g/L | pH 3.14 | RS 2.0g/L