AA Badenhorst Family Wines, The Curator Red, 2016
AA Badenhorst Family Wines, The Curator Red, 2016
- 75cl
- 14%
- Red Still
- Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre
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Optimal drinking window: 2026 - 2030
Adi Badenhorst is one of the Swartland's most charismatic figures, and The Curator Red is his calling card: a blend drawn from old bush vines across the region, assembled with the same instinct a good jazz musician brings to improvisation. Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, and Mourvèdre are blended to produce something greater than the sum of its parts.
There's a wildness to it — sun-dried herbs, dark fruit, iron-tinged earth — that feels entirely of this landscape. It's not trying to be anything other than itself, which is exactly why we love it.
Right now the Curator is at its most expressive: fruit-forward, vibrant, with that earthy Swartland savouriness in full swing. Over the next two to three years the fruit will begin to soften and knit further into the structure, adding a little more dried-fruit and leathery complexity. By 2029-2030 it will likely be at or just past its plateau, and there's no particular reward in waiting beyond that. Drink it with the enthusiasm it was made with.
Tasting Notes
AppearanceDeep ruby-garnet with a warm, slightly russet rim that hints at its sun-baked origins.
NoseDark plum and black olive lead, with dried fynbos, a flicker of white pepper, and something iron-edged and earthy underneath. It smells like the Swartland after rain — dusty, alive, and a little wild.
PalateMedium-full bodied with a generous, fruit-driven mid-palate that doesn't overplay its hand. The tannins are supple and well-integrated, the acidity lively enough to keep things honest, and there's a meaty, almost charcuterie-like savouriness that makes you reach for food.
FinishWarm and spiced, with dried herb and a faint mineral grip that lingers longer than you might expect at this price.
Overall impressionAn honest, characterful blend that punches well above its station and makes no apologies for being exactly what it is.
Food Pairings
In the Swartland and wider Western Cape, this kind of wine was made for a braai: lamb chops over wood coals, boerewors with good mustard, or a slow-roasted leg of mutton seasoned with garlic and rosemary. It would sit equally happily alongside a Cape Malay lamb curry or a potjie loaded with root vegetables and dried fruit, where the wine's earthy spice mirrors the food's complexity. Think big, generous, outdoor cooking rather than anything delicate.
We think this wine would go well with
Serve at around 16-17°C — cool enough to keep the fruit focused, warm enough to let the spice and earth open up. A 20-30 minute decant will do it good, softening the edges and coaxing out the dried herb notes. A generously sized Syrah or Rhône-style glass works well, giving the wine room to breathe without losing the aromatics.
The Swartland is a semi-arid, largely unirrigated region north of Cape Town, defined by ancient Malmesbury shale and granite soils that stress the vines naturally and concentrate flavour without heavy-handed viticulture. The landscape is hot and dry through the growing season, with cooling Atlantic breezes from the west tempering what would otherwise be punishing conditions. Old bush vines — many of them 40 to 60 years old — dig deep into these poor soils and produce small quantities of intensely flavoured fruit with a distinctive savouriness and earthy depth.
The Swartland WO (Wine of Origin) is a relatively loose designation covering a broad swathe of the Western Cape inland from the Atlantic coast. It has no rigid rules on variety or yield, which suits its creative producer community perfectly. Unlike the more formally structured Stellenbosch to the south, Swartland has become synonymous with old-vine Rhône varieties, unirrigated farming, and a spirit of independence that sits closer to southern France than to conventional South African wine culture.
Swartland 2016 arrived after a dry, warm growing season — nothing unusual for this sun-baked corner of the Western Cape, but the conditions were well-managed, with growers benefiting from the kind of moderate temperatures that allow the region's old bush vines to ripen slowly and hold onto their natural acidity. The harvest came in without undue stress, producing fruit with good concentration and, crucially, balance — not the overripe, sun-cooked character that warmer years can push you towards.
The wines have aged with real purpose. Chenin Blanc from this vintage has developed that savoury, waxy depth the variety does so well in Swartland, while the Rhône-inspired reds — Syrah especially — are drinking with a kind of focused, iron-fisted intensity that makes them genuinely exciting. These are wines sitting at or approaching their peak now, though the best-structured reds will hold comfortably until 2026 and beyond. Worth seeking out if you find them.
FAQs
What does The Curator Red taste like?
Dark plum, black olive, dried Swartland fynbos, and a meaty, iron-edged earthiness. It's generous and spiced, with supple tannins and enough freshness to keep it lively. Think southern Rhône with a distinctly South African accent.
When should I drink this wine?
Right now, honestly. It's built for pleasure, not patience. It will hold comfortably until 2030, but there's no particular gain in waiting. Open it tonight with good food.
What food should I pair with it?
Anything off a braai, ideally. Lamb chops, boerewors, slow-roasted mutton. It's also excellent with a Cape Malay curry or a rich meat stew. It likes bold, generous flavours rather than anything delicate or restrained.
How should I serve it?
Around 16-17°C with a short decant of 20-30 minutes. A large Syrah or Rhône-style glass works perfectly. Don't serve it too warm or the alcohol will get ahead of the fruit.
OUR GROWERS
AA Badenhorst Family Wines
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