By Rose Murray Brown MW    Published in The Scotsman 6 June 2026

Some people when they achieve fame and glory sit back and enjoy it, whilst others keep constantly questioning what they are doing, changing and improving.  I would put Eben Sadie of The Sadie Family Wines, one of the world’s greatest winemakers and certainly South Africa’s finest, firmly in the second category.

When I met Sadie last month on his first ever visit to Scotland, with his son Markus, it was clear that this was a man who did not like to sit still, exuding energy and passion for what he does.  With such an enquiring mind, Sadie is always challenging and questioning how he grows his vines, hoping to enhance his wines, welcoming new ideas from everywhere in the world – and yet, despite current challenges of increasing drought and rising temperatures in South Africa, nothing seems to phase him.  What I also really liked about him was that given his fame, he has remained humble, approachable and genuinely interested in learning about new wine regions.

“I am completely fascinated by wine – and particularly interested in soil”, he explained.  “What is in the vineyard is in the wine, so for me it’s about a consistent renewal of thoughts and study of patterns – I don’t like recipe formats’”, he says.

It was this fascination with soil that first drew him to Swartland region north of Cape Town, with its intricate network of soil types, where he now runs Sadie Family Wines with 44 hectares of managed vineyards.  “I wasn’t brought up in a winemaking family, so I was lucky not to have been bound by legacy and can approach everything with an open mind”, he says.

“I almost became a marine biologist, but ended up training in agriculture”, he explained.  It was whilst working as winemaker for Charles Back at Fairview winery making their Spice Route range, that Sadie discovered Swartland, an old cereal-growing area with the highest per capita of the Cape’s old bushvines almost completely abandoned by wineries.  He was ‘the’ Swartland pioneer; now it is the Cape’s most dynamic wine region, a hub for experimental passionate winemakers.

Back in 2000, Sadie produced one of Cape’s greatest blends: Columella Red, followed two years late by Palladius White – both in their time, revolutionary.  But Sadie, with his enquiring mind was not satisfied with this achievement – he headed off to Priorato in Spain, Etna in Sicily and beyond to learn more – and then returned to focus on his own vineyards in Paardeberg, Swartland.

“I have just spent nine years getting my vineyards in the right place, learning how to cope with extreme drought and increasing warmth; I reckon the two oceans surrounding us have saved our skin”.

He still produces his flagship Columella and Palladius, but has expanded the number of grapes in each blend.  2023 Columella has seven (mainly Rhone) and 2023 Palladius no less than 15; he uses non-interventionist winemaking and has abandoned small oak barriques for large old foudres and concrete.

According to Sadie, the world is obsessed with the new concept of ‘mono-varietals’ (wines made from a single variety) and single vineyards.  He loves blends and also focuses on plant pathology; he grows 38 different grapes in his 64 plots fostering long cycle ‘isohydric’ grapes, those which close their stomata early in dry conditions to conserve water, so able to cope in extreme heat.

He calls the Portugal’s Tinta Barroca “the greatest grape on the planet” – and also loves Cinsault, Grenache, Alicante Bouchet, Counoise, Pontac and Trousseau for reds.  He lists Sicilian Grillo, French Picpoul, Greek Assyrtiko (which he grows on granite) and Italian Fiano and Greco grapes as his white favourites.

Biodynamic viticulture is far too dogmatic for Sadie; “it’s for people who want a recipe, I have been doing ‘regenerative viticulture’ since 2001, long before it became fashionable”.  He also believes the world’s vineyard densities are far too high (particularly in Burgundy) and says that in the future water scarcity will change this.

Sadie’s second love after his own vineyard is visiting other wine regions.  He points to the Loire as a region which has huge potential – as well as parts of Austria, Greece and even England is on his radar (his favourite English wine is Tommy Grimshaw’s Yarn).  “At home I rarely drink my own wine, I drink other people’s – my favourites are German Riesling, Tuscan Sangiovese and the all-time great blend California’s Ridge Montebello”.

SADIE’S WINES

 

2024 Skurfberg Chenin Blanc

Grown on weathered sandstone; lovely stone fruit notes, minerally and waxy texture

 

2024 Mev Kirsten Chenin Blanc

Incredible intensity and elegance; made from 121 year old vines, Cape’s oldest Chenin

 

2023 Palladius White ***STAR BUY***

15 grape blend with an incredible combination of fruit intensity, limey freshness, nutty, minerally finish

 

2009 Palladius White

More savory mature blend of 8 grapes; honeyed, waxy, peppery, big broad textures with saline finish

 

2024 Pofadder Cinsault ***STAR BUY***

Cinsault grown on slate in a brutally windy site; beautifully soft, elegant and strawberry-toned

 

2023 Columella Red

Syrah-led multi-grape blend; perfumed, restrained, fresh, light pepper; currently tightly knit

 

2005 Columella Red

Savory, smoky, cherry fruits, silky texture with spicy undertones in this Syrah & Mourvedre blend.

 

 

All available from Raeburn Fine Wines from £70 per bottle www.raeburnfinewines.com

 

 

 

Join Rose’s Fine French Classics Dinner at Prestonfield, Edinburgh on 19 November www.rosemurraybrown.com