Swerwer, an exciting producer from South Africa’s Swartland region
Jasper Wickens first discovered wine when he was at university in Stellenbosch. To pay the bills while he was studying he worked at Zevenwacht. And while he was there, he met Adi Badenhorst, who was consulting. This was to prove fortuitous, because in 2009 when Adi moved to the Swartland, he hired Jasper as a winemaker.

The Swartland was a collaborative sort of place then, just emerging as a hotspot of winemaking innovation, and Jasper also got to work with Eben Sadie, and in the European summer he went to Spain to work with Eben’s Priorat project (he was at the time a partner in Terroir al Limit) and also with his friend Bryan MacRobert in Rioja (at the time Bryan was working in South Africa and Rioja, now he’s just doing Rioja).

In 2012 Jasper started Swerwer, a home brew project that he made in Adi’s cellar. A few years later he met Franziska Schreiber, who had just taken over running Waterval Farm, her family’s vineyard business in the Paardeberg. The two became friendly, Jasper was offered some grapes from the farm, and then they got married in 2016. Jasper left Badenhorst in 2018 and the 2019 vintage was made in a renovated 100 year old winery on the farm.


Jasper explained to me that a ‘swerwer’ is a wanderer. And he explained the label: telephone poles and wires an indication of the connections you make. ‘It’s all connected,’ he says. And the swallows represent freedom of movement.

THE WINES

Swerwer Chenin Blanc 2021 Swartland, South Africa
Four vineyards, three of them old. Taut with nice salinity, and bright pear and citrus fruit, showing nice detail and a stony edge. A pure wine, showing some restraint. 93/100

Swerwer Tiernes Chenin Blanc 2020 Swartland, South Africa
This is from 1983 plantings in deep granite soil, aged 15 months in oak. Apple and pear fruit with a stony minerality. Lovely texture in the mouth with some lime brightness and ripe pear, as well as a touch of green apple. Layered and textural with great precision. 94/100
Swerwer Wolwekop 2020 Swartland, South Africa
Semillon planted in 1963. Textured with mandarin and fine spices, with some notes of straw and pear as well as a hint of white peach richness. Grainy with nice depth. 94/100
Swerwer Rooi-Groen Semillon 2021 Swartland, South Africa
Semillon Gris. Taut and focused with crisp pear and citrus fruit (some mandarin), with lovely precision and layers of flavour. Finishes fresh and strong. 94/100
Swerwer Rooi-Groen Skins 2021 Swartland, South Africa
This is Semillon Gris with 20 days’ skin contact, originally developed for the Japanese market. Expressive and bright with lively lemon and marmalade characters. Pure with a bit of grip and nice mandarin and spice notes. Lots of freshness and purity here. Bright and linear. 94/100

Swerwer Alternative Chenin Blanc 2021 Swartland, South Africa
Skin contact Chenin left for 20 days on skins in a two-ton foudre. Detailed with chery, pear and spice as well as some sour citrus peel notes. This has some grip, and a nice acid line. 93/100
Swerwer Cinsault Grenache Tinta Barocca 2021 Swartland, South Africa
Mostly destemmed. Floral and bright with lovely cherry and raspberry notes with nice brightness. Focused and sappy with pure fruit and a touch of silkiness, as well as some grip. 94/100

Swerwer Touriga Nacional 2021 Swartland, South Africa
12.8% alcohol. This is from a 15 year old block in deep sandy granitic soils. Fresh and complex with black cherries and raspberries as well as some plums and herbal notes, as well as a touch of herbal detail. Very expressive red fruits with good structure. 93/100
Swerwer Shiraz 2021 Swartland, South Africa
20 year old block, 100% whole bunch. Very fresh and focused with lovely purity of fruit. Nicely structured with a bit of grippiness, and lots of focus and intensity. Has some nice crunch on the finish. 94/100
Swerwer Pineapple Express Pet Nat 2021 Swartland, South Africa
This is made from a hybrid called Ferdinand de Lesseps that’s a result of crossing Isabella and Chasselas, and one of its synonyms is the Pineapple Grape. This is bright, fresh, pure and juicy with a slight jellyish character. Vivid and fruity, and quite fun. 88/100
Older notes from November 2019

Swerwer Chenin Blanc 2018 Swartland
13.5% alcohol. Focused, fresh nose with lovely lemon and mandarin notes, and a slight chalky, saline character in the mouth. Has some herby spiciness (almost fynbos like) on the palate with brightness and detail. Has some fine structure. Long, tapering finish. This is so lovely. 94/100

Swerwer Rooi-Groen Semillon 2018 Swartland
Semillon Gris from young vineyards. Complex, detailed with tangerine, pear and herbs. Lovely weight in the mouth: a little bit of structure but also a roundness on the finish with some sweet notes alongside the citrus and pear fruit. Lots of detail here. 94/100
Swerwer Cinsault Grenache Tinta Barocca 2018 Swartland
Attractive spice and red fruit on the nose with herb and pepper detail. The palate is fresh with a subtle minty edge to the focused raspberry and strawberry fruit. An elegant, pure, lighter styled red with nice structure under the easy fruit. 93/100

Swerwer Touriga Nacional 2018 Swartland
Lovely floral blackberry nose with a subtle creamy edge. Crunchy, juicy and fresh on the palate with nice brightness. Shows lovely floral fruit. Very bright, fruit-driven and fine, but also has nice structure. Complete and compelling. 94/100
Swerwer Shiraz 2018 Swartland
Sandy granitic soils. Crunchy and bright with a peppery edge to the sweet berry fruits. Has some cherry, as well as bright berries. Some delicacy and brightness from the granite. 100% whole bunch. Fresh, grippy and delicious with potential for development. 93/100