Rhône Theme
Timed Online Auction, 2 - 12 February 2024
Rhône | International & South African offering
About the SessionThe first sale of the 2024 Strauss & Co Fine Wine Auction calendar is an exciting Rhône valley and Rhône-style offering and has fast-become one of the most popular at Strauss & Co Fine Wine Auctions.
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About this Item
Eben Sadie is South Africa’s most revered winemaker and he arguably kick-started the local fine wine revolution. Over two decades his pursuit for quality in the Swartland has been unparalleled in South Africa and he was voted Winemaker of the Year in 2017 by the International Master of Wine Institute. Eben’s wines were influenced by the Rhône and Spain, with traditional local varieties sourced from pockets of old bush vines and unique terroirs. Long-ageing Columella is often regarded as South Africa’s best red, while Palladius similarly offers an incredible Swartland expression and decades of longevity. The old vine single vineyard series, which was first released in the 2009 vintage, is now firmly the most sought-after release of the year. Mev Kirsten is South Africa’s rarest white wine, produced from a century old Stellenbosch vineyard, while the now legendary Skurfberg received 100 points from Tim Atkin in 2020.
An incredible rare opportunity to purchase very early vintages of South Africa's Iconic Red.
Columella is named after the ancient Roman writer who produced perhaps the earliest good treatise on viticulture in his De re rustica. Starting in 2000, Eben’s goal was to produce the finest expression of the Swartland and today Columella is South Africa’s most coveted red wine.
Provenance
Wine Cellar Private Client
Critics Ratings
'Mature now, with musky plum jam and leather aromas and a prickly balsamic freshness. Long, smooth-textured and rounded palate, the acidity is quite forthright (but is natural, not added). Big and bold, but with a great sense of focus, the juicy, gently chewy tannins have now melted into the wine. Great complexity; wild yet refined. Various soils: granite, slate, clay, gravel. Three weeks fermentation and three weeks maceration in 2,000L open-top wooden fermenters. Aged for 18 months on lees then a further six months on fine lees.' - Matt Walls, Decanter.com, 98/100 (May 2022)
‘Extraordinary to suddenly realise the concentrated power, the tense structural strength informing the graceful ease of 04! As always, Shiraz with 20% Mourvèdre. Darkly ripe fruit, lightly perfumed, nutmeg spice, hints of blackcurrant, in emerging complexity; the usual savoury, subtle, supple tannins. Native yeast ferment in open casks; 2 years in scarcely toasted French oak, 80% new. Balance, concentration enhances good maturation potential.’ - Platter’s SA Wine Guide 2007, 4.5*
‘This has a terrific array of fruit--blueberry, raspberry and boysenberry - that's seamlessly put together with mocha, sweet toast and a tangy iron note. Then it all takes an encore on the lengthy finish. A very impressive display of fruit and minerality together. Syrah and Mourvèdre.’ - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator, 92/100 (Aug 2007)
‘Very dense and warm minerals on the nose. Sweet and lively now but heaviness lurks beneath. 2004 was a relatively cool vintage. Fruit is still more primary.’ - Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, 16.5/20 (Apr 2014)
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