Porseleinberg Syrah, Boekenhoutskloof 2021

Given its consistently outstanding quality, it’s easy to forget that the average age of Porseleinberg's 14 hectares of vineyards is only seven years' old. Showing what Callie Louw calls a "little more crunch" in 2021, this is a Syrah with time on its side. Wild herb aromas of sage, oregano and rosemary introduce you to a palate that's dense yet refined, with lots of whole bunch spice and structure, negligible oak influence, detailed, layered tannins, some underlying grip and layers of dark berry fruit. One of the world's great reds from a very special site. 2025-32

My favorite of the three vintages in this flight is the Porseleinberg 2021 Swartland Syrah. This was a cool vintage, but it was not abundant in rain, seeing only 390 millimeters. However, the vineyard team could pick at perfect ripeness. The aromas here are lifted and bright. There is a burst of fruit that reminds me of wild cherry and dark plum. Winemaker Callie Louw wants as little sugar as possible, ideally below two grams per liter or even below one gram per liter. In this case, we have 1.7 grams per liter. This vintage also marks one of the latest harvests. Fruit came off the vines starting on March 4th, and that extra hang time results in a nuanced and delicate expression with dark fruit, spice and mineral. A ferrous aroma of iron ore gives the wine sharpness and precision.