Swartland, Columella, Sadie Family - 2023

Viticulture

Sadie Family has established itself as a leading name in the Swartland region and a driving force behind the revival of South African wine. Eben Sadie champions a terroir-focused approach, crafting precise and elegant wines from old vines and Mediterranean grape varieties well-suited to the Cape climate. Columella is borne of 12 different vineyard sites, located primarily in Paardeberg (7 vineyards) as well as Kasteelberg (3 vineyards), Malmesbury (1 vineyard), and Piquetberg (1 vineyard).

Oenology

Hand sorting of individual berries of the entire production in small “strawberry” cases. Fermentation takes place spontaneously in 3300 litre open concrete fermenters for about three weeks at a temperature of 24 °C and is then followed by a post-fermentation maceration of another three weeks. Pressing takes place in a traditional basket press and the wine is transferred to the barrel (10% new) for malolactic fermentation. The wine spends 12 months on the lees in tight-grain French oak barrels, just 10% of them new, and is then racked into big oval casks (foudres) for an additional year of maturation on the fine lees. After two years the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Suggestions for accompaniment

Roast rack of lamb with Provençal herbs • Duck breast with red berries and wild pepper • Wild boar stew with spices and red wine.