Sadie Family Columella 2022
£137.14 (Inc. VAT bot. 75 cl.) / North Ireland
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
One of South Africa's most critically acclaimed wines, this is a very complicated blend of Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Carignan, Cinsault, Tinta Barocca and Pinotage. Syrah leads at 38% of the total. The Sadie Family's 2022 Swartland Columella boasts unique DNA that cannot be replicated given that fruit is sourced from across 12 vineyard sites with a mix of granite, slate, gravel and sandstone. These sites are Paardeberg (with seven vineyards), Kasteelberg (with three vineyards), Malmesbury (with one vineyard) and Piquetberg (also one vineyard). Blending is never done in the winery. Instead, parcels are picked in sequence and co-fermented. The same blocks are always used. It matures over 24 months to show enormous balance and length. Columella is texturally rich and caressing with grippy tannins that need more time to fully resolve. The 2022 vintage is terrific, Eben Sadie tells me during our tasting in his newly finished winery, whereas 2024 was challenging. The bouquet on the 2022 is chiseled and etched with a note of pencil shaving or white pepper that cedes to dark fruit, spice and heritage rose.
Features
Type of wine
Style
Occasions
Winery
Size
Country
Region
Appellation
Alcohol
14.0%
Winemaking
Fermented with indigenous yeasts and macerated for 3 weeks in concrete vats. Malolactic fermentation and ageing for 12 months in French oak barrels and 12 months in oak foudres. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Description
The Sadie Family Columella wine is a reflection of passion and commitment to quality and authenticity. Originating from the Paardeberg region, with vineyards also in Kasteelberg, Malmesbury and Piquetberg, this wine is composed of a blend of grapes including Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Carignan, Cinsaut and Tinta Barocca. These varieties are grown on soils rich in granite, slate, gravel and sandstone formations, which contribute to its distinctive character.
Winemaking
It begins with the manual selection of each berry, followed by spontaneous fermentation in 3,300 litre open cement fermenters. This fermentation lasts approximately three weeks at a temperature of 24 °C and is then followed by a post-fermentation maceration of another three weeks. It is important to note that no substances are added to the wine during fermentation. Subsequently, pressing takes place in a traditional basket press and the wine is transferred to barrels to complete malolactic fermentation.
Columella spends 12 months on the lees in fine-grained French oak barrels, only 5% of which are new. It is then racked to large oval foudres for an additional year of maturation together with the fine lees. After two years the wine is bottled without fining or filtering.
Taste
Columella stands out for its bright red fruit aromas. Despite its 24 months of ageing in old barrels, the wine is incredibly fresh, giving the sensation that the fruit still hangs on the vine. There are spicy and herbal aromas, followed by violets and perfumes. Deeper notes of graphite, black olive and cedar aromas are also present. The structure of the wine is impeccable, with tannins flowing into acidity at the end of the palate. It is a balanced wine, with delicate layers that compose it. Undoubtedly, time is an ally for this wine.
Shipping to North Ireland
50% discount on orders over £350.30Estimated transit time: 4-5 working days.
| Bottles | Price | Over £350.30 |
|---|---|---|
| 1-6 | £11.30 | £5.65 (-£5.65) |
| 7-12 | £15.33 | £7.66 (-£7.66) |
| 13-18 | £21.46 | £10.73 (-£10.73) |
| 19-24 | £29.34 | £14.67 (-£14.67) |
| 25-30 | £34.07 | £17.03 (-£17.03) |
| 31-36 | £38.10 | £19.05 (-£19.05) |
| 37-42 | £45.98 | £22.99 (-£22.99) |
| 43-48 | £50.36 | £25.18 (-£25.18) |
| 49-54 | £56.88 | £28.44 (-£28.44) |
| 55-60 | £61.13 | £30.56 (-£30.56) |
| VAT included | ||
Sadie Family Palladius 2022
£121.48
£115.43/ud (-5%)
Other vintages: 2020
Other sizes: Magnum
