2012 Porseleinberg

The 2012 Porseleinberg was cropped at 9hl/ha, matured in three concrete eggs after a week on the skins. It was matured for 12 months in concrete eggs, and just 230 cases were produced. This has a very elegant bouquet, pure with a mixture of red and black fruit, bay leaf and clove, just a touch of dried rose petals and aniseed. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, lighter than the 2011. There's a fine backbone, a little more austere than the previous vintage, with a touch of cracked black pepper on the finish. This is drinking perfectly now but will continue to age in bottle.

100% Syrah. The 2012 vintage was a bit more forgiving than the 2011 vintage with a slightly higher crop of 9 hl/ha. Some irrigation of the old blocks this year. Grapes were hand-picked and transferred as whole bunches to concrete tanks. The bunches were foot-stomped, after which natural fermentation took place. During the ferment two pumpovers were done per day until the fermentation was complete. The wine was pressed off to three concrete eggs after a week on skins. Maturation took place solely in concrete for 12 months, after which the wine was bottled. 230 cases of 12 were produced. They were still figuring out the ideal élevage. (With 2014 they settled on 12 months and then 18 months in bottle.) TA 4.8 g/l, pH 3.9, RS 1.1 g/l. Dark garnet. Evolved rim. Notably fragrant. Very gentle and composed. You can taste how much happier the vine is with a bit more water. ‘A good winter is priceless’, according to owner Marc Kent. Elegant and its own style. Dry, appetising finish. (JR)

(this project is owned by Boekenhoutskloof; Callie Louw manages the vineyard and makes the wine, vinifying whole bunches in concrete fermenters; this 2012 was raised entirely in concrete): Bright ruby-red. Explosive nose offers scents of raspberry, blueberry, violet, gunflint, spices, leather and bacon fat. Plush, deep and fine-grained but bone-dry at 1.1 g/l r.s., showing outstanding floral/peppery lift to the dark berry and meat flavors. Conveys a penetrating quality that belies its elevated pH of 3.9. Finishes with substantial but smooth tannins. Very characterful Syrah without any oak influence. (I also tasted the just-bottled 2014 and enjoyed its subtly spicy purple perfume. The wine is richer, deeper and riper than the 2013, but its big but sweet tannins will require at least a few years of cellaring. This wine was partly aged in an old foudre . It remains to be seen if the new vintage will match the 2013 for finesse and aromatic complexity.)