THE VILLAGE
EXPLORER FOOD | ART | WINE | NATURE
Sijnn Wines: A river runs through it
PHOTOS: Sijnn.co.za
Writer Tweet Gainsborough-Waring
S
ijnn Wine Estate sits atop a plateau carved out by the slowflowing Breede River as it winds past the small Overberg town of Malgas to the Indian Ocean. This pioneering estate in the middle of nowhere can be reached via the N2 and the Malgas / Cape Infanta turn-off just before Swellendam, but getting there if you take the back roads is half the fun and, depending on the direction from which you come, may include crossing the Breede River on the country’s oldest surviving hand-drawn river pont.
We started out from Hermanus and turned onto a dirt road just before Bredasdorp. This route to Malgas took us a leisurely two hours, through rolling wheat fields, past iconic wind mills and lazy sheep, with the occasional horse or donkey standing to attention on the edge of a dam. The warm welcome, delicious food and excellent wine that awaited us at Sijnn were indeed worth the drive. Sijnn (pronounced “sane”), the name given to the river by the Khoisan, is the realisation of a dream for winemaker David Trafford and his wife Rita, who visited the area in 2000. They were immediately blown away by the unique climate and terroir, and its potential for winegrowing. But why Malgas, an area with poor soils and minimal rainfall? Well, that’s exactly what makes a great wine – when the vine battles to grow, a deep root system is encouraged, and the low yield gives rise to intense, complex wines of
great individual character that are a true expression of the land.
2000 – the same year that Sijnn was founded.
The terroir, with its sandstone boulders and steep cliffs reminded David of the Douro wine region in Portugal and the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation in the Southern Rhone Valley. No newcomer to the South African wine industry, David’s family has owned the Mont Fleur farm near Stellenbosch since 1976. In the early eighties a small vineyard was established on the high altitude slopes, from which a limited number of experimental red wines were produced, for the consumption of family and friends.
Faced with the challenges of climate change, David had been looking for a location suitable for the cultivation of the tougher Mediterranean cultivars such as Syrah, Mourvedre, Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira, Grenache and Tempranillo, along with Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne and Verdelho for his white blend. To be sure that he had found what he was looking for at Sijnn, more than 200 soil profile holes were dug on a 50m grid in the most promising areas and experts called in to assist with analysing and understanding the soils.
Only when the quota restrictions were lifted in 1991, could the winery be registered – as De Trafford – and new vineyards be planted. By this time David had qualified as an architect, a career he pursued for several years before trading it for winemaking in 1994.
David describes the geology of the rolling mountains as comprising Bokkeveld shale with sporadic relics of younger river terraces – mainly sandstone boulders and pebbles. However, it is the shale in various stages of weathering, together with varying layers of alluvial deposits that gave rise to the complex and diverse terroir which is ideal for grapes that produce concentrated and elegant wines.
With Rita, a qualified chef and budding artist by his side, he set out to become a top-quality wine producer. Starting with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, David also added Syrah, a red blend, and Chenin Blanc to the highly-acclaimed De Trafford range. He has been a member of the prestigious Cape Winemakers’ Guild since
The vineyards are situated 15 km from the sea and bathed by a warm maritime climate, moderated by southerly winds off the ocean in the late morning just about every day, es-
pecially in summer. Rainfall averages 350mm per annum spread throughout the year, although 2018 saw only 190mm. Maximum temperatures seldom exceed 30°C. Conditions like this favour low yields which are ideally suited to natural, hands-on practices. It comes as no surprise that David and his team practise minimal intervention in both the vineyards and the winemaking process, allowing the elements of the land to fully infuse the wine. Continues on P 10
