Porseleinberg
Red
Swartland
2021

The producer

Porseleinberg is a distinguished winery located in South Africa's Swartland region, renowned for producing exceptional Syrah wines that embody the rugged terroir of the area. Established in 2009 by Marc Kent of Boekenhoutskloof, the estate is managed by winemaker Callie Louw, who employs traditional, minimalist winemaking techniques to craft wines of remarkable depth and character. The vineyards are planted on unique blue schist soils, contributing to the distinctive minerality and complexity of the wines. Porseleinberg's commitment to low-intervention practices and respect for the land results in Syrah wines that are both powerful and elegant, reflecting the true essence of the Swartland terroir.

The wine

Porseleinberg's Red is a distinguished Syrah from South Africa's Swartland region, celebrated for its depth and authenticity. Crafted by winemaker Callie Louw, this wine exemplifies the rugged terroir of the Porseleinberg estate, characterized by its dry, schistous soils. The 2019 vintage, for instance, has been lauded for its rich and intense profile, with critics awarding it an average score of 94/100. Tasting notes often highlight aromas of ripe cherry, blackberry, and hints of black olive, complemented by tight tannins and excellent acidity. The wine's complexity and structure make it a compelling choice for enthusiasts seeking a true expression of Swartland Syrah.

We choose our wines based on a range of criteria (see how we choose our wines) of which critic scores is just one. Rather than simply highlight the best score to promote a wine, our average critic score is calculated from the scores provided by several respected wine critics, who we follow for specific regions. They do not represent all critic scores and, wherever possible, we try and give more weight to more recent reviews. Where appropriate we consider market-based scores like Global Wine Score or Wine Searcher Average scores.

As a rule, we look to offer wines that achieve a 92/100 average critic score or better and frankly a lot of very good wines simply don’t make the cut. As a high-end provider we want to reflect that positioning in the quality of wines we offer. Such wines are only a tiny fraction of those generally on offer in the market. We believe that an average score is a more conservative and representative approach, but it is still subjective and only offered as a guide to our customers, who will (and should) do their own research. We will add individual critic scores to our website in the future.