2016 Porseleinberg
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Tasting Notes
The 2016 vintage brought the driest winter in decades and another tiny crop. The wine is full of sweet red fruit, but there’s a firm, stony minerality to the nose, as well as floral and spicy tones that give it lift. There’s a fine-boned framework here and gorgeous freshness. Aged for 12 months in 70% foudre and 30% concrete egg.
Critic Scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Tim Atkin MW
More reviews and scores
The 2016 Syrah was "a hell of a challenge," according to winemaker Callie Louw, but he produced an absolutely stunning wine, despite the parched vines suffering half the amount of rainfall. The wine was matured in 70% foudres and 30% concrete eggs. This was the first year the alcohol level breached 14.0%. The very expressive bouquet, more vivid than the 2015, features blackberry, bilberry, a touch of raspberry, cracked black pepper and just a faint hint of charcoal. This is a very cerebral Porseleinberg. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, outstanding structure, broody black fruit and gentle grip, and the schist soils are very expressive on a finish that feels fresh but extremely complex.
If ever a South African wine tasted of specific place it is Porseleinberg, the Cape’s answer to Cornas in terms of its dense, compact structure, but with a personality that is all its own: wild, savoury and unruly with tannins that can be demanding in their youth. Fermented with 100% whole bunches and aged in a combination of concrete eggs and foudres, it’s ripe, but not overly so, with notes of garrigue and tangerine and a stony, compact finish.
About the producer
Porseleinberg is a single-site Syrah from the Swartland that has, since its first vintage in 2010, become one of South Africa’s most celebrated and sought-after wines. Made by cult winemaker Callie Louw from incredibly poor soils on the slopes of the Porseleinberg, the wine is rightfully revered.