THE SADIE FAMILY WINES Columella 2023

Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Carignan, Cinsaut, Tinta Barocca & Pinotage

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. No additions are made to the fermenting wine. Pressing takes place in a traditional basket press and the wine is transferred to the barrel (10% new) for malolactic fermentation.

AGEING | 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.

Our Signature wines spearhead our viticultural and vinicultural developments and the yearly renewed implementation of more finite and precise workings. The incremental growth of Mourvèdre, Carignan, Cinsaut, Tinta Barocca, and Pinotage in the final blend has contributed much to the depth and complexity of the tannins. The fruit purity has also been lifted, with remarkable freshness on the palate. The Columella has taken on many dimensions and interpretations over time, with quality being the central pillar, but more recently, the response to terroir has been more linear. This 2023 Columella vintage displays strawberry aromas transitioning to dark cherry and floral perfumed aromatics. Over time, the trademark violets and perfumes will develop further; the wine is very compact. This 2023 is slightly firmer and grippier than the 2022 vintage and presents itself as a deeper-centred wine. Its tannin dynamics are similar to those of the 2019 vintage. The wine needs time.

99P. Tim Atkin