Naudé Langpad Old Vines Colombard 2020
By Christian Eedes, 11 September 2020
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What’s up, Old Vine Project? According to GregSherwood.com, the Langpad Old Vines Colombard 2020 as made by Ian Naudé is from a 1985 vineyard whereas the bottle I purchased has a Certified Heritage Vineyards seal proclaiming 1980. Moreover, the back label reads nebulous W.O. Western Cape while Sherwood relates the vineyard is near Vredendal up the West Coast – can’t we do better than that in terms of respecting terroir?
In any event, the wine is smashing. Subtle aromatics of hay, pear, apple and little earthiness before a palate that is pure with a lovely line of acidity and a pithy finish. It’s not without weight (alcohol is a mere 12%) but it’s hardly full or greasy and the finish is savoury with some pleasing grip. Price: R265 a bottle.
CE’s rating: 93/100.
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Christian Eedes | 11 September 2020
After a telephone conversation with Ian Naudé: The vineyard was indeed planted in 1985. The Certified Heritage Vineyards seals are applied by hand and a rogue roll of “1980” stickers evidently got into the mix. As for the Wine of Origin issue, Naudé relates that he very much wanted the wine classified as W.O. Vredendal but the Wine and Spirit Board is in the process of re-drawing boundaries and there apparently isn’t clarity as to where the Langpad vineyard belongs, compelling Naudé to use the bigger, vaguer Western Cape demarcation.
Kwispedoor | 11 September 2020
I’ve just popped a Langpad in the fridge and very much look forward to drinking it. It also has a rogue 1980 sticker on the neck, but on the other hand I’ve come to realise that the combination of “Naudé” and “Old Vines” on a label is an automatic certification of quality.
The best Colombard wines used to be refreshing, dry and simple – and needed to be drunk while it still had some ester action on it. Now we already have the Langpad, the Aspoestertjie, the Vaalkameel and also Blacksmith (perhaps more?) making very cool wines, with seemingly much better maturation prospects. With the large amount of Colombard vineyards out there, surely more of our adventurous winemakers must jump at the opportunity to search out some special sites and older vineyards and to rescue them from the distillers and co-ops (not to mention being uprooted)?
Perhaps, while the Wine and Spirit Board is at it, they can bring some sensibility and credibility to their W.O. Coastal Region demarcation.
Fiona McDonald | 11 September 2020
Glad you got to try this Christian – and that you liked it. I know that 2020 has been a bit of sh*t show so far but this wine restores your faith in humanity, life and the joy that the fermented grape can add to both. This is so NOT what your run-of-the-mill Colombar usually is!