Sadie Soldaat 2025
In stock
Purchase this item and get 616 PointsKShs14,270 incl. of VAT
Soldaat’s high altitude and unirrigated sandstone soil produce something leaner and more precise, closer in spirit to Grenache from the Gredos region of Spain than to a typical warm climate style. Unlike Sadie’s Old Vine white wines, this is one of the estate’s most respected pure red bottlings, made from 100% Grenache rather than a blend. For buyers in Kenya wanting a genuinely elegant, food-friendly red from one of South Africa’s most respected producers, this is one of the more distinctive options at The Wine Box.
Tasting Notes
Light to medium ruby in the glass, deceptively pale for the intensity it carries. The nose opens with red cherry and strawberry, pomegranate and rose hip following close behind, with orange rind and a mineral note of wet stone running underneath. Light tannins and brisk, fresh acidity define the palate, keeping the wine feeling lithe and energetic rather than weighty. Sour cherry and a touch of earthy spice come through the mid-palate, and the finish closes long, with a faint salinity that lingers well after the glass is empty. This is Grenache built for finesse rather than concentration, structured enough to reward a few years in the cellar but genuinely enjoyable from an early stage too.
Food Pairing
This wine’s freshness and light tannin structure make it a genuinely versatile match. Duck confit is the classic pairing, the wine’s acidity cutting cleanly through the richness of the fat. A rich couscous dish or slow-cooked caramelised pork also works well, the fruit character standing up to sweetness and spice without being overwhelmed. Served lightly chilled, it holds its own even against simpler grilled meats on a casual evening. For a Nairobi dinner where the food carries real flavour and the wine needs to keep pace rather than fade into the background, this is a red that does exactly that.
What You Need to Know:
What does the name Soldaat mean, and where does it come from?
Soldaat is Afrikaans for soldier, named after the piekeniers, foot soldiers who once guarded the mountain pass in Piekenierskloof to protect livestock during the old Cape Colony era.
How is this different from a typical Grenache?
This comes from a high altitude, unirrigated site at 708 metres on weathered sandstone, which produces a leaner, more elegant style than the jammy, high alcohol Grenache often associated with warmer, lower altitude sites.
Should I drink this now or let it age?
Both work. It’s genuinely enjoyable on release, but reviewers have consistently noted it improving further with a couple of years of bottle age, and it has the structure to hold for up to a decade if you’d rather wait.
What food pairs best with this wine?
Duck confit is the classic match. A rich couscous dish or caramelised pork also works well, and it holds up nicely against simpler grilled meats when served lightly chilled.
What should I do if this bottle is out of stock?
Our customer service team can help you find a suitable alternative or source the product where possible. Reach out before your event.
Can I get Sadie Soldaat delivered same day in Nairobi?
Nairobi orders placed before 9 PM qualify for same-day delivery, typically completed within a 1-hour window. Free delivery applies to orders above KES 3,000 within Nairobi. Orders outside Nairobi are delivered nationwide across Kenya within 24 to 48 hours.
Description
High altitude Grenache from a mountain pass named for the soldiers who once guarded it. Grown unirrigated on weathered sandstone at 708 metres, one of the most site-specific reds in the Sadie range. Order online in Nairobi through The Wine Box.
Piekenierskloof takes its name from the piekeniers, foot soldiers who once guarded the mountain pass to protect livestock moving through the old Cape Colony. Soldaat, the Afrikaans word for soldier, is a direct nod to that history, and the vineyard it comes from sits at 708 metres on weathered sandstone, high enough and rugged enough to justify the name.
The winemaking leans on tradition rather than shortcuts. Around 60% of the fruit ferments as whole clusters, and the cap is worked by foot rather than machine, a slow, physical process over roughly a month in concrete vats before the wine settles into its year of lees ageing. Grenache from this specific site has consistently shown elegance rather than power, red cherry and strawberry fruit carried by fine tannins and real freshness, and reviewers have noted it improving further with a bit of bottle age rather than being at its best on release. For a Nairobi buyer who wants a serious, site-specific Grenache rather than a broad, easy-drinking red, this is one of the more precisely made options in the Sadie range.
Product Facts
- Vintage: 2025
- Producer: The Sadie Family Wines
- Country: South Africa
- Region: Citrusdal Mountain
- Grape Variety: Grenache Noir 100%
- ABV: 13.5%
- Category: Red Wine
- Style: Medium bodied, elegant, site driven red
- Vineyard Details: Old, unirrigated vines, planted at 708 metres on weathered Table Mountain Sandstone, gentle eastern slope
- Production Method: Hand-harvested; approximately 60% whole cluster fermentation in concrete vats over roughly a month with daily foot treading; malolactic fermentation; aged around 12 months on lees before bottling
- Serving Temperature: 14–16°C, lightly chilled
- Drink: Best from 2 to 3 years after vintage, with potential to hold for up to 10 years
Accolades
- Tim Atkin MW: 96 points
- The Wine Advocate : 94 points
- Vinous: 92 points
About The Winery
Eben Sadie founded his winery in the Swartland in the late 1990s, releasing his first Columella vintage in 2000 from just 17 barrels. His reputation was built on seeking out South Africa’s oldest, most neglected vineyards and treating each one as a wine in its own right rather than blending them into something more generic, a project that became the Old Vine Series. Soldaat is one of the cornerstone reds in that series, sourced from a single high altitude Piekenierskloof site rather than grown across multiple locations. Sadie’s non-interventionist cellar philosophy, spontaneous fermentation, no fining or filtration, and only minimal sulphur at bottling, runs consistently across the whole range. The wines are available through The Wine Box Kenya in Nairobi.
We provide FREE DELIVERY for orders above Kshs. 3,000 within Nairobi. Orders outside of Nairobi will attract delivery charges, which will be calculated based on the cart size and your location. Orders outside of Nairobi are delivered through a logistics partner Fargo Courier.
We deliver anywhere* in Kenya and Orders outside of Nairobi will attract delivery charges, which will be calculated based on the cart size and your location. Orders outside of Nairobi are delivered through a logistics partner Fargo Courier.
*Please note that conditions apply to deliveries to Lamu and some coastal regions.
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