The Sadie Family - Columella Blend 2017
Coastal Region
Eben Sadie has extensive international experience working in Austria, Germany, Italy, Oregon and Burgundy. Upon his return to South Africa, he is an oenologist at the Spice Route estate under the direction of Charles Back, where he will become cellar master a few years later. In 2003, in partnership with Cornell Spies, he created Sequillo, which is often considered his second label.
In 2004, still in partnership, he founded "Terroir Al Limit" in the region of Priorat in Spain. In 2011, the estate will be vandalized and the tanks will be emptied before being contaminated by bleach, which will lead Eben Sadie to devote himself to his vineyard.
The Sadie Family sources grapes exclusively in the Swartland region, one of the hottest wine regions in South Africa. However, all its wines, both white and red, are perfectly controlled alcohol levels and show no heaviness. He owns no vineyard (he has his own philosophy on the property). Its supplies come from 48 plots spread over 43 hectares.
All parcels are biodynamically cultivated and yields are extremely low (about 600 grams of grapes per foot). Eben's philosophy is very European. He does not like the term 'winemaker'. "Until recently," he says, "that word did not exist. We used the word vigneron. When you participate in the development of great wines you must get out of the manufacturing process. If you "make" wine you lose the definition of soils.
Columella: On the nose, this wine offers plums and red cherries with a hint of spice and vanilla. The characteristic aromas of Swartland (fynbos, olive and earth) are also present but discreet. This wine has nice fruity aromas, fresh acidity and granular tannins. A blend of Syrah, Mourvèdre and Grenache from 8 old Swartland vineyards on granite, slate, clay, gravel and chalk soils. The grapes are sorted grain by grain. It is a wine of very high class which has a capacity of guard of more than 20 years.
