2005 Columella

Two years in small oak. Dark rusty red colour with lots of shading at the pale rim. Very warm, rich, briary cocktail on the nose with some prunes and dark chocolate. Fragrant almost floral but sweet and a bit pruney on the palate. Finishes a bit suddenly. Eben describes this as southern Rhône compared with the more northern Rhône style of the 2012. (JR)

(14.1% alcohol): Bright ruby-red. Sexy, deep, wonderfully complex nose offers scents of red and black raspberry, black cherry, licorice, tar and dark chocolate. Very concentrated, firmly structured and young, offering outstanding breadth and inner-mouth tension. The black raspberry and spice flavors are complicated by intriguing flinty minerality and a pepper nuance and given a light touch by lovely floral lift. Wonderfully pure, silky, weightless wine with suave tannins and superb persistence. Incidentally, Sadie offered the opinion at this point in the tasting that Grenache should really be the best red grape in South Africa, “especially when it’s planted on sandstone soil in cooler spots.” He added that he plans to give Mourvedre three more years to prove itself before he eliminates it from Columella. “I love the grape for its sophisticated tannins but it can’t be tamed; it’s like a stray dog.”

Tougher than 2004. Still needs lots of time. Very pungent. Dense and firm. Black and graphite. Tar and liquorice. Chewy and lots of elements that Eben associates with Bordeaux not Swartland. Still very tight and dry. Drought year. Keep this! (JR)