Swartland Revolutionaries Mixed Case

A linear, tightly-packed Porseleinberg – lithe and slender with tonnes of energy, and with that signature stony grip on the finish. While a little shy at first, it opens up to reveal spicy fennel salami, dried bay leaf and rosemary notes, and violet-infused perfume with time in glass. The fruit profile starts in the red spectrum – tangy red cherry and raspberry, with a citrussy, pink-grapefruit tang – and moves towards wild blueberries, with a wonderful peppery tension on the mid-palate and fine-grained, mouth-coating tannins. Owned by Boekenhoutskloof and farmed from 2010 to 2025 by winegrower Callie Louw, Porseleinberg is one of South Africa's greatest and most sought-after wines.

Eben Sadie describes 2023 as a great vintage for Columella; the 35mm of rainfall received on the 25 October 2022 made all the difference. This is the third consecutive Columella to be bottled at below 13.5% alcohol, ‘without sacrificing complexity, intensity or strength,' and you can instantly see the family likeness with both the brilliantly poised and detailed 2021 and 2022 vintages of Columella. This is just as fine and focused with vivid freshness and tightly knit, fine-grained tannins. Blackberry, bramble, violet and pepper on the nose move on to red cherry and raspberry on the palate, with warming spices and more black pepper emerging with time in glass. Pure, precise and high definition, this has huge intensity, which it balances with focus and stony minerality. Please note that this wine is only available as part of the mixed case.

‘With Columella and Palladius we are trying to make an appellation wine that has consistency,’ Eben Sadie explains, and Palladius, the original Swartland white blend, paints the biggest canvas of appellation Swartland of the pair – now sourced from 22 vineyards. With the 2023 vintage, more new parcels have entered into the mix – including assyrtiko from the West Coast and some grillo too. Gentle, unassuming aromatics of white peach, lime curd, green tea and honeycomb, with a subtle struck-match reduction, leads to a palate with green apple and yellow grapefruit bite. This maintains a focused line of nervy acidity, without being hard in anyway, with just an edge of cashew-nut creaminess rounding out the acid. Nevertheless, a linear and tense rendition of Palladius, with mouthwatering freshness and drive this vintage, and a salty-mineral core. Please note that this wine is only available as part of the mixed case.

The 2015 was the tenth release of what winemaker Adi Badenhorst calls an ‘appellation Swartland’ wine (previously known as the Family Red but now rechristened the Kalmoesfontein Red) and it is on fine form in 2026 – spicy, rich, inviting and still youthful. A blend of 52% syrah, 21% grenache, 18% cinsault and 9% tinta barocca, this has ripe, generous red-berry fruit and rosemary and thyme perfume, all married with great freshness. As ever, this is a multi-dimensional wine, layered and serious, but also just unequivocally delicious – a great advocate for the power of blending. A small parcel of the remaining 2015 has come to The Wine Society straight from the Badenhorst cellars following a tasting in February 2026.

The 2011 vintage was the first time that 1,200-litre foudres were used for both the fermentation and maturation of the Kalmoesfontein White (previously known as the Family White) and at fifteen years’ old this is pumping with energy and so much freshness. A blend of mostly chenin blanc (36%), roussanne, marsanne, grenache blanc, viognier, verdelho, chardonnay, grenache gris, clairette blanche and palomino (though as Adi says, ‘some may not appear on the back label – we forgot’), this is pure and focused with zingy green apple, citrus zest and a minty herbal inflection. There is a riesling-esque drive on the finish and a smoky minerality. A minuscule parcel of the remaining 2011 (just 36 bottles!) has come to The Wine Society straight from the Badenhorst cellars following a tasting in February 2026. Please note that this wine is only available as part of the mixed case.

Now their signature white, Mullineux Old Vines White is always a blend centred on old-vine chenin blanc accompanied by a cast of Mediterranean varieties and intended to be ‘a reflection of this incredible place.’ The 2023 was a beautiful vintage in the Swartland, with good winter rainfall and a cool growing season and this is reflected in the linear tension of the wine. A blend of 62% chenin blanc, with 10% semillon gris, 13% clairette blanche, 8% grenache blanc, 5% viognier and 2% verdelho, this has a gentle aromatic of spring blossom, white fruit and oatmeal. There is lovely intensity of yellow apple and salted almond on the palate which builds and builds to a long and textured finish. Please note that this wine is only available as part of the mixed case.