Why it matters
The producer
Ian Naudé founded Naudé Wines in Stellenbosch. The label buys fruit from vineyards across the Western Cape, many of them certified Old Vine sites. Ian often works with old vine specialist Rosa Kruger, and the wines are vineyard led rather than driven primarily by cellar technique.
Minimal intervention winemaking is central to the cellar approach. Naudé Wines aims to preserve vineyard character, natural flavours, freshness and intensity with as little manipulation as possible. The house style is low in alcohol and extraction but high in intensity.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Stellenbosch is the producer's base, while the vineyards extend across the Western Cape. Vredendal supplies old vine Colombard for Langpad and Soutbos, Darling supplies the Cinsault for Werfdans, and Oupa Willem combines fruit from Darling and Stellenbosch.
The geography changes the grape and blend from bottle to bottle. Langpad keeps Colombard varietal, Soutbos makes Chenin Blanc the lead grape, Werfdans is Cinsault, and Oupa Willem combines Cinsault with Cabernet Sauvignon.
Wines to know
The range in view
Langpad Colombard 2022 is a varietal white from Vredendal. Wet slate and petrichor sit over peach stone, lime blossom, rock salt and crunchy green pear. The palate is dense and glycerol textured, with salty white peach, green apple, sour pear drops and river pebble minerality.
Werfdans Cinsault 2017 is the red from Darling. It is fragrant, with red berries and Turkish Delight, then dry and savoury in the mouth, with red fruit, stony acidity and very fine, lightly sandy tannins. Twelve months in older oak add cedar.