Product Overview
Importer's Notes
"The revolutionary Porseleinberg project is the result of South African icon Marc Kent's search for premium Rhône grapes for his Boekenhoutskloof and Chocolate Block labels. The journey naturally took him to the Swartland, which at the time was emerging as a premium South African wine region. Kent found a remote, rugged, and windswept 173-acre wine farm atop the Porseleinberg mountain and purchased the property in 2009. Recognizing the enormous potential of the area, and after replanting the vineyards, he decided to create a premium Swartland Syrah from the choice fruit.
The 4th vintage of applying the submerged cap technique, which continues to emphasise Porseleinberg’s unique tannin profile. A reserved start is noticeable, after which the wine opens to red and black fruit, with a mineral and savoury spice. A crunchy, dry and grippy, yet fine tannin soundly carries the fruit to cover ones palate. The finish is long and fresh with good fruit concentration and some salty minerality. Drink from 2031-35."
Varietal Composition: 100% Syrah
Appellation: WO Swartland
Farming Practices: Certified Sustainable
Aging: 12 months in 95% foudre and 5% concrete egg
Residual Sugar: 1.6 g/L
97 Points - Vinous
"The 2021 Porseleinberg is whole bunch fermented and aged for 12 months in foudres. I gave my glass plenty of aeration. Chatting with winemaker Callie Louw, this wine can be closed, this being the first time I had tasted it at the remote Swartland estate. It has a compelling bouquet with fabulous delineation, a mélange of, say, one-third red and two-thirds black fruit, hints of iron filings and reflecting its soils, slate-like scents. Obstinately backward, after 10 minutes, it positively blossoms in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied, with filigree tannins framing the mineral-rich black fruit. Plenty of extract is interwoven, but perhaps unlike the vintages of old, Louw's winemaking sense means that it's not immediately tangible. A discrete build in the mouth reveals hidden layers as it sashays towards its crunchy finish and then delivers a dash of cracked black pepper on the aftertaste. Outstanding…but what else do we expect?" -NM, Aug/2023
96 Points - Wine Spectator
"A sleek, integrated red, with a generous core of ripe black raspberry and mulberry fruit flavors. This is well-spiced and fragrant, with clove, espresso, violet and rosemary notes, plus a minerally underpinning of stone and iron. There's muscular power, but it's more the trim and limber grace of a gymnast than that of a powerlifter. Long and mouthwatering on the finish. Syrah. Best from 2026 through 2039. 1,500 cases made, 125 cases imported." -AN, 12/31/24
96 Points - Wine Advocate
"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." -ML, 6/5/25
