2010 | Sadie Family | Columella

A layered style, with red and black currant, plum and blackberry fruit stretched over a sinewy structure and inlaid with singed cedar and mesquite notes that linger on the long, stony finish.

Reviews:

• Vinous: Bright medium ruby. Aromas of crushed cherry, raspberry, minerals and smoke. Lush and rich but still extremely young, offering outstanding breadth and silky texture to its flavors of red fruits and flinty minerality. The most enveloping vintage yet for Columella: this wine combines the best traits of the 2008 and 2009 and then takes them to a higher level. Finishes classically dry, with noble fine-grained tannins and great fruity persistence. This one hit my G-spot. Like a hypothetical blend of grand cru Burgundy and Chateau Rayas.

• Wine Advocate: The 2010 Columella saw just 10% of the crop aged in new large casks. The nose is well-defined and as nonchalant as Eben Sadie himself, gently unravelling blackberry, charcoal, eau-de-vie and allspice scents that are perfectly controlled. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, slightly grainy tannins. It is extremely well-balanced with supremely well-judged acidity. I much prefer this toned-down style of late, allowing the grape varieties and terroir to be articulated without interruption. Gorgeous!

Producer Information

The Sadie Family is a wine producer in the Swartland region of South Africa, famous for its wines made from classic Rhône varieties like Syrah, Mourvèdre and Viognier. Chief among these are the Columella red and Palladius white wines, which are considered to be some of South Africa's best wines. The estate comprises some 24 hectares (60 acres) of vineyards across Swartland, including mountainous plots and coastal plains. This diversity of terroir means that there are a wide range of grape varieties planted, from Tinta Barroca to Clairette and Palomino. The vineyards are all farmed organically and biodynamically. The Sadie Family winery uses a wide range of fermentation vessels including concrete amphorae, eggs, truncated cones and cubes, and larger formats of oak barrels. Natural yeasts are used for fermentation and all of the red wines are pressed in a small basket press. The winemakers often use sprinkler systems instead of punch downs to obtain gentle extraction of tannin and colour. Along with Columella, a Syrah – Mourvèdre blend, and Palladius, made from Chenin Blanc and Viognier, the Sadie Family makes a range of single-vineyard wines called Die Ouwingerdreeks (old vines in English). This range includes both red and white wines, including a varietal semillon called Kokerboom and a Cinsaut called Pofadder. The estate began life in 1999 as a side project for Eben Sadie when he was winemaker for Charles Back Wines. Sadie's early wines were made at the Charles Back winery, including the inaugural vintage of Columella in 2000. Eben Sadie is also co-owner of the Terroir al Limit winery in the Priorat region of Spain.

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