2024 Swerwer - Rooi-Groen Semillon Swartland (750ml)

Swerwer is the project of winemaker Jasper Wickens, who earned his nickname (meaning "wanderer" in Afrikaans) after years spent migrating between harvests in the United States, Spain, and France before settling in South Africa's Swartland. Rooi-Groen, meaning "red-green," describes a rare color-changing mutation of Semillon that developed naturally over decades, producing grapes with pink-red pigmented skins. Wickens sourced propagation material from a handful of vines showing this mutation within a 1963 vineyard, then spent ten years re-selecting and replanting it, creating what is believed to be the world's only dedicated Semillon Gris vineyard. The vines grow on deep loam soil on the valley floor, giving them reliable access to moisture even in the driest vintages.

Made with partial skin contact, the 2024 vintage shows a pale gold color with coppery pink undertones. The nose opens with peach blossom and honeysuckle that shift toward dusty crushed stone, while the palate brings tart yellow orchard fruit, crunchy quince, and green plum alongside juicy peach. Layers of allspice, roasted coriander, fresh ginger, and green tea add textural complexity, and the wine finishes flinty and mineral, with soft acidity and a light tannic grip. It drinks beautifully young but has the structure to reward a few more years in the cellar.