Sadie Family
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Eben Sadie on viticulture
I visit Eben Sadie at his farm in the Swartland, in South Africa. In the past Eben has been buying grapes from top vineyards, but for the last few years he has been a vineyard owner, and has some very interesting things to say about viticulture. He explains what he has learned, and his own radical version of viticulture. He's planted bush vines at low density in a square grid, not in rows. He talks about his use of cover crops, and explains why high density plantations and trellises don't work so well in this hot, dry climate. He also takes us through his spray program, which involves some interesting natural products.
I visit Eben Sadie at his farm in the Swartland, in South Africa. In the past Eben has been buying grapes from top vineyards, but for the last few years he has been a vineyard owner, and has some very interesting things to say about viticulture.
He explains... I visit Eben Sadie at his farm in the Swartland, in South Africa. In the past Eben has been buying grapes from top vineyards, but for the last few years he has been a vineyard owner, and has some very interesting things to say about viticulture.
He explains what he has learned, and his own radical version of viticulture. He's planted bush vines at low density in a square grid, not in rows. He talks about his use of cover crops, and explains why high density plantations and trellises don't work so well in this hot, dry climate.
He also takes us through his spray program, which involves some interesting natural products. We usually have public tastings at the cellar during the weekend preceding our release, but this year we had to cancel the tastings due to the general ban on the serving of alcohol in public spaces in the Covid-19 lockdown.
The best alternative is a... We usually have public tastings at the cellar during the weekend preceding our release, but this year we had to cancel the tastings due to the general ban on the serving of alcohol in public spaces in the Covid-19 lockdown.
The best alternative is a virtual walk-and-talk through some of the vineyards and wines with Eben and herewith we welcome you to a presentation of our vineyards and our philosophy - in other words, that which we aspire to capture, or rather, set free in a glass. Eben Sadie, The Sadie Family Wines: Paardeberg
@swartlandwineandoliveroute2097... Eben Sadie, The Sadie Family Wines: Paardeberg
@swartlandwineandoliveroute2097
Eben Sadie on viticulture
Release Visit 2020
The Sadie Family Wines (2024)
Eben Sadie is considered one of the great visionaries and preservationists among South African winemakers. He is outspoken about his obsession with terroir and making sure the Swartland region is recognized as a place to make exceptional, authentic and highly coveted wines.
He founded Sadie Family Wines in 1999, after establishing his career in both South Africa and wineries across the world and released his first vintage of Columella in 2000. He was one of the first to focus on creating wines that express their area, or a single vineyard, rather than blending extensively across regions which was unconventional at the time.
This site specificity along with field varietals and older vineyard parcels are the philosophy that drives the production of his two ranges of wines - The Signature Series (Columella and Palladius) and then his Old Vine Series (9 different wines). Columella is a blend of old-vine fruit from eight Swartland vineyards while Palladius is a blend of 11 varieties from 17 different vineyard sites, with old, bush-vine Chenin Blanc driving the cuvée.
The Signature Series wines are the result of a project with renowned viticulturist, Rosa Kruger to discover, revitalise, and in some cases, save old vineyards throughout the Cape. These limited volume wines are produced without any additions and without much manipulation. The reds are mostly fermented whole cluster as that was the pre-1940’s vinification standard. The whites are whole bunch pressed. None of the wines are refined or altered as Eben strives to bottle the most “honest” wines that show their true character and location.
Philosophy
We now farm 51 hectares, of which 24 hectares are in production from our own vineyards, and an additional 27 hectares are being rented but worked by our team. Soil health, low intervention farming, and preserving South Africa's viticultural heritage are paramount.
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