Professionelle Bewertungen
Robert Parker (94)
The Porseleinberg 2022 Swartland Syrah shows extra smokiness and spice. New foudre were delivered and were used for the first time in this wine. Rain was abundant at 470 milliliters (the average in these parts is 450 milliliters), and the alcohol is low at 13.3%. Drinking the 2022 now is premature, as the wine is still quite shy and restrained. A challenging ripening phase was followed by prolonged heat in January and big diurnal temperature shifts. Winemaker Callie Louw calls it "stress maturing," which results in a bigger, more muscular fruit profile with open-knit tannins and abundant fruit. Callie Louw puts a priority on exposing the character of a vintage. All man-made variables remain constant. The DNA of this particular site is reflected in the tannins of the wine. They are chalky and elegant.
Winespectator (95)
An enticing red, this lures you in with aromas of dried flowers and herbs, leather and spices -- a fragrant thread that winds through the wine. Meanwhile, the plush texture wraps around firm, fine-grained tannins and carries rich flavors of baked black plum and cassis, bay leaf and eucalyptus and a subtle base note of ashy smoke. You'll discover more with each sip, so sit a while with this wine. Syrah.
James Suckling (95)
Aromas of red cherries, rose petals, thyme, rosemary and overturned earth. Medium- to full-bodied with fine, juicy tannins that run the length of the wine. Spicy, herbal and fruitful with a lovely approachability to its complex layering. Succulent and persistent. While this will open up with a bit more age, its already showing very well now.
Jancis Robinson (17)
100% Syrah. Average age of vines at this point was seven years due to vineyard expansion. The post-2019 harvest was hot and dry, with below-average rainfall (355 mm). The vineyards experienced some relief with good rain in October and December and an inch recorded in January, saving the vintage. Sufficient moisture in the soil during flowering and fruit set resulted in bigger bunches and berries. The growing conditions were clean, with a minor threat of downy mildew during an unusually wet December. The 2020 Porseleinberg harvest was one of the quickest and earliest to date. After the January rainfall, warm sunny conditions contributed to healthy, strong canopies, which aided an early veraison and berry ripening. We started picking on 5 February and finished by the 19th. Grapes were hand-picked and crushed as whole bunches into concrete fermentation tanks with the cap submerged. Minimal pumpovers were performed with the submerged cap, and the ferments ran cool and dry within ten days. Maturation took place over 12 months in 90% foudre and 10% concrete egg. Bottled mid July 2021. TA 5 g/l, pH 4, RS 2.1 g/l.
Dark garnet. Not intense but lively, with sweetness and saltiness. Round and charming. Fine tannins. (JR)
Vinous (97)
The 2020 Porseleinberg was a hot and dry season that saw 355mm of rain that moistened the soil sufficiently that, together with smooth flowering, saw larger bunches. The harvest was one of the quickest ever (February 5-19). Matured for 12 months in foudres and concrete eggs, it has a beautifully defined bouquet with a mélange of red and black fruit, wild fennel, leather and light orange rind scents that blossom in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannins, very harmonious, veering more toward red fruit intermixed with black pepper, clove, tobacco and allspice. Filigree on the finish, this might be the most elegant Porseleinberg to date, yet there is such finesse that you are utterly seduced. A long and prosperous future ahead.
