Has any brand in South Africa achieved quite so much as Porseleinberg in less than a decade? This is the best vintage yet from this steep, brutal, extreme schist-rich site and that's saying a good deal. Big, bold and intense, with incredible, almost feral intensity, incense, tar and black pepper aromas and layers of inky dark fruit. A stunning wine from a stunning site, made by a gem of a winemaker.

Drinking Window: 2022 - 2035

Review Date: 1st September 2019

The 2017 Porseleinberg has a compelling bouquet of blackberry, fynbos, Provençal herbs and veins of blue fruit, all showing stunning delineation and composure. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins and pure blackberry and raspberry fruit laced with thyme, sage and white pepper. This is utterly refined and intense yet sophisticated. A quite stunning wine.

Drinking Window: 2022 - 2045

Reviewer Name: Neal Martin

Review Date: 1st November 2019

The 2017 vintage of Porseleinberg Syrah as made by Callie Louw off vineyards grown on schist soils south of Riebeeck Kasteel in the Swartland is the best yet. What makes it is that the tannins are not as astringent or severe as previous vintages although it certainly isn’t facile. On the nose, red and black fruit, violets, herbs, olive and earth while the palate is super-concentrated with fresh acidity and, as mentioned, oh so fine tannins. A wine of great poise and detail, this is world class.

The 2017 Syrah begins opaque in the glass. The nose is dense enough to cut with a knife, showing a rigid minerality and black-fruited core with a dusty minerality and dark purple floral tone that seems to be brooding. On the palate, the tannic nature attacks the palate and gum line with enough astringency to make a Barolo blush and was achieved by winemaking decisions. The palate has a density and mineral rusticity that seems too loud currently but will be very expressive and generous after a decade or more of aging. The finish is long and grippy, expressing black fruits with a rigid mineral backbone. If you're going to enjoy this wine while it's still young, you're going to need some food to pair with and settle its tannic nature. Only 1500 cases were made.

Drinking Window: 2023 - 2038

Reviewer Name: Anthony Mueller

Review Date: 31st October 2019