Sadie Family Columella 2018 750ml
VINIFICATION | 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 (5% new) for malolactic fermentation.
AGEING | The wine spends 12 months on the lees in tight-grain French oak barrels, just 5% 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.
NOTES | The 2018 vintage of Columella is testimony to the bigger dynamics a regional blend has access to: the challenges brought about by the drought were completely addressed in this multi-vineyard, multi-varietal wine from across the Swartland. Various vineyards across so many different soils marginalize extremes and bring about consistent quality. Our viticultural reviews and implementations over a number of years are finally coming into play and are paying off in the resultant wines. Columella, as one of the signature wines, will always be at the spearhead of developments. This may be the darkest fruit we have ever been able to capture at a fresh 13.68% alcohol. The presence of Syrah is in decline in the final blend and the influence of Grenache, Cinsaut, Carignan and Tinta Barocca is more pronounced. Our Mourvèdre component is the strongest it has ever been and has brought an amazing dynamic about in terms of the finishing of the wine – a persistence.
This 2018 bottling is a wine with a big temperament: explosive, but not excessive. It is like a plane with perfect aerodynamics, flying effortlessly very much in line with the 2001, 2008 and 2011. Ageing required.
Location
Paardeberg (2 vineyards), Kasteelberg (4 vineyards), Malmesbury (1 vineyard), Piquetberg (1 vineyard)
Grapes
Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Carignan, Cinsaut & Tinta Barocca
Ageing
12 months cask, 12 months old foudre
Soils
Granite, Slate, Gravel & Sandstone formations.
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