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 Eben Sadie, The Sadie Family
Malmesbury, South
Africa
Winemaker: Eben Sadie
Eben Sadie: winery profile by Richard Kelley MW
It is
fitting that Eben 'surfer-philosopher' Sadie should name his wine after Lucius
Junius Moderatus Columella, author of 'De Rustica' ('On Country Matters'), the
most comprehensive account of Roman viticulture that dates back two millennia.
The wine itself comes from seven different, unirrigated, fully controlled
leased parcels across 52km of the Swartland. The area has a remarkably stable
climate, allowing for consistent quality albeit with vintage
variation.
The distinction of Columella is derived from its terroir, the
character of the vintage and a very hands off winemaking approach (more time
for surfing, or jetting off to Spain to prune vineyards, or to rack wine in his
Priorato venture). Columella is primarily Syrah with 10% Mourvèdre (in
2000). Five of the seven parcels are planted with bushvines and each site
reflects a different soil profile, encompassing slate (at Porcelain Mountain),
coffee stone, an iron rich soil (Rheeboksfontein), and granite (Aprilskloof).
To say selection is rigorous is an understatement. The vines are pruned to
allow for around 25 hl/ha so as to encourage full phenolic maturity. Picking
takes place in the early morning into 15kg lug boxes and refrigerated down to 5
degrees C for 24 hours, when a team of 20 women painstakingly select, often
grape by grape, into a final selection bin. These are destemmed and about 50%
are crushed and allowed to cold soak for two to four days. All parcels are
vinified separately. Fermentation takes place in open wooden vats with native
yeasts using traditional pigeage. Post fermentation maceration lasts up to
three weeks, depending on the vineyard. The grapes are pressed in a tiny basket
press and transferred (with buckets) into oak barrels, not all of them new,
where malolactic takes place and the wine is racked through a primitive system
relying solely on gravity. After blending at about eight months, Eben allows
for 24 months in barrel before bottling unfined and unfiltered. Just over 5,000
bottles were produced of the 2000 vintage, and in 2001, the extremely low crop
yielded just 15hl/ha. In South Africa, these are highly sought after wines,
aided by a five star rating for the 2000 in the John Platter Guide. With the
retail price the equivalent of £35 a bottle in one Cape Town wine shop,
at around £26.00 in England, there is an obvious opportunity to re-export
what little 2000 we still have available.
With 2002, we see the
introduction of a white partner, Palladius, the successor to Columella. This
wine is a revelation, tasting nothing like any other wine made in the southern
hemisphere - Eben's inspiration here being the white produced at Clos Mogador.
It is a blend of Viognier, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and (uncertified) Grenache
Blanc. The Viognier component was fermented as red wine; on both skins and
stalks, which explains the tannic edge. The Chenin is from 45 year old bush
vines and the Chardonnay from 25 year old vines, making them some of the oldest
in the Cape (in 1981 there were only 19ha planted in the whole of SA). The wine
took a year to complete fermentation, being in older wood for 16 months. Only
eight barrels were made. The wine's individuality has made it a challenge for a
South African palate bought up on crisp, clean Sauvignon or over-wooded
Chardonnay; however we believe it will be Palladius that finally gives Eben the
international recognition he deserves.
More
information (Click on links):
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