Eben Sadie’s tastings are a convoluted exercise in philosophy and culture that are fairly apt given the complexity of his wines. His recent Under the Influence session at the Roundhouse in Camp’s Bay held all of the entertainment value that I’ve come to expect; with the unexpected bonus of the Terroir Al Limit wines.

As with all things Sadie, the story is as different as the wines are superb. In Catalonia you either support the donkey or the bull: and this is a matter of national pride. Bumper stickers give hint of their owners undying support for a single, unified nation (the toro, or bull); or the independence of Catalonia (the burro, or donkey). So passionately does Eben reside in the latter camp that his Spanish donkey, Freda, is just as important symbolically as she is as the vineyard’s resident plough.

The wines themselves are just superb. The Arbossar is what I would have expected from a Spanish Sadie wine, and the Torroja is a close second, especially given its price tag. At R480 per bottle this may not be a wine to share – at least not as far as I am concerned! – but it can certainly be justified as a special occasion wine. The Arbossar comes in at R890 and beyond my range although it may be, it’s truly well priced.

Further information on both can be found at the Wine Cellar site.