Syrah
75cl * 14% ABV * South Africa
Now firmly established as one of South Africa’s greatest wines, Porseleinberg is a benchmark Syrah of both precision and personality. Grown on the steep, wind-swept slopes of the “porcelain mountain” in the Swartland, upon blue schist and stony soils, it’s a wine born of extreme terroir and minimal intervention.
Under the stewardship of Callie Louw since 2009, Porseleinberg has earned a near-cult following. The 2023 vintage marks a subtle evolution in Callie’s approach. Moving away from the 100% whole-bunch fermentation of previous years, this vintage was crafted using a 70% whole-bunch submerged cap ferment, inspired by Jamet in Côte-Rôtie, and 30% conventional fermentation, split between whole bunch and destemmed fruit. A handful of gentle pump-overs were reintroduced for the first time since 2017, creating a wine of exceptional texture and balance.
It was a challenging year in the Swartland, with just 308 mm of rainfall and naturally low yields. The result is a wine of focus, intensity, and lifted perfume - a touch more elegant than some previous vintages but with the same power and structure that define this estate.
On the nose, layers of blue and red fruit - raspberry, black cherry, and plum - are layered with notes of fennel, sage, and cracked black pepper. The palate is built around a spine of firm, chalky tannins and the savoury depth that marks great Syrah. A faint smoky, herbal edge lingers through the long finish, echoing the stony character of its origin.
While beautifully expressive now, this is a wine built for the cellar. Over the next 10 to 15 years, it will gain even greater harmony and complexity. Pair with roast lamb or venison.
'The 2023 growing season was "dry and difficult", according to Callie Louw, at least in this wild and starkly beautiful corner of the Swartland, but you wouldn’t know it from the quality of this superlative Syrah. Picked late, right up to March 8th, it has the concentration and intensity of a small crop. Fermented with 90% whole clusters, with 70% of the wine using the submerged cap technique, it's one of the most sublime Porseleinbergs yet, pairing aromas of incense, thyme and black pepper with firm, age-worthy tannins, blackberry, red berry and liquorice flavours and a stony, mineral core. Truly world class.' 100 pts - Tim Atkin MW
Drink now - 2040.