2009 Eben Sadie, Sequillo, Syrah/Mourvèdre/Grenache, Swartland

Another brilliant wine from Eben Sadie which not only reveals his huge wine-making talent but also his perpetual willingness to experiment. Eben believes that South Africa is ideally suited to Mediterranean grape varieties rather than the more commonly planted Bordeaux varietals, especially in his native terroir of Swartland, and this wine bears eloquent testimony to his belief. In the past it has been a blend of Syrah, Mourvedre and Grenache, but in 2009 he has added Carignan and Cinsault, stalwarts of the Midi in France. The nose shows a spicy, peppery black fruit character , while on the palate the two new additional varietals come into their own with lovely purity of red fruits and a pronounced freshness and lift.

Despite ageing for 24 months in wood there is little overt evidence of oak as the barrels are large 500-litre casks, not new, and with yields at a miserly 22 hectolitres per hectare the wine is quite full-bodied but remains elegant, with a long, fine finish.
Alun Griffiths MW, BBR Buying Director, September 2011