(2019) Fabulous peppery nose, so much floral and wild garrigue character, lots of red plum. The palate has silky sweet fruit at its core, but flooded with basil and bay leaf, meatiness and again that peppery spice. The fruit stays focused and linear at its heart, the taut acid framework and the big, powerful dry tannins give this immense pleasure and a suggestion of great age ability. Aged 12 months in 500-litre French, 25% new, then nine months in foudre.
(2019) From the estate-owned Roundstone vineyard in the Swartland. Lovely perfume again, not as ‘wild’ as the Granite, but a purity of black fruit, a sizzle of bacon fat, and a definite sense of stony minerality. On the palate there is an earthy and meaty ripeness and richness, a twist of liquorice, and good cherry skin acid. Loads of bitter chicory acids and fine but very persistent tannins to give a long, very, very pure finish.
(2019) I loved my visit to Porseleinberg a few year ago, so great to taste a new vintage of this intriguing wine with its floral character. 100% whole bunch fermented, two months in concrete eggs and foudre. There is something flinty and slaty about the nose, a wild, earthy character, with the florals continuing, lots of tannin, a bit of rustic grip, but such a lovely mouthfeel, juicy but with an authenticity and touch of roughening edges that finishes spicy and long.
(2019) Syrah is foot-trodden as whole bunches, and spends 11 months in old barrels. very composed, rounded character, with a touch of cool-climate herbaceousness, a touch of meatiness, the palate streaking with firm acidity and the rustic bite of the tannins; not rough, but grippy and tart like plum skins. Long and well balanced, a substantial yet elegant wine. Only 900 bottles made.
(2016) Gorgeous cherry and briar stuff, so fragrant and aromatically delicate, yet there's a reserve of power too. Deep briar scents and onto the palate tight and cherry edged herbs, so much juicy tension and tight tannins, a wine that might still need time but fills the finish with spicy fruit and acidity.
(2016) Peppery and earthy, with lovely little blood and game touches, in a solid but alluring style. Good rounded berry and black cassis fruits. So much depth of fruit and flavour and delicious lip-smacking acidity. Great tannins here - spicy and smooth but grip like a vice.
(2016) A very sophisticated, fruity and spicy character, with a graphite sense of purity but the robust berries beneath. The palate has a great juiciness and length, everything harmonious though linear and tastes very young. Potential to score more.
(2016) A composed and relatively discreet nose that's earthy and cool, but there's so clearly a flood of fruit waiting beneath, silky juicy and dark. The palate has a hugely sweet mid-palate flooded with that cherry plum and blackcurrant juiciness. The spices and fruit purity and the fruit tannins drive the finish.
(2016) Cool and dramatically tight, with taut black fruits and spices, this was a pre-release sample so my score is provisional, but it has the same melange of fine components as many of the best vintages here and that promises great things. My score is a cautious one given this is a sample, but might well go higher.
(2016) Into a much more cedary spectrum here, gorgeous truffle and undergrowth nuances,in a mature, beautifully open style. So much spice and a berry fruitiness and an autumnal character. Great blood streaked, iron-oxide thrust of juicy fruit, terrific acidity and a taut framework of tannins that powers this through to such a long finish. Hard to say where this is in its evolution, but for me, a Columella in a great place.
