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Tasting Notes
Medium plus bodied with tannin and acidity that follow suit. Even its youth it is incredibly elegant. The aromas and flavors do not disappoint with beguiling notes of blackberry, red berries, garrigue, violets, leather, mineral and anise that linger in the long complex finish.
Body is the impression of a wines weight, density, or its ‘mouth-feel’. Some wines feel weighty, or full bodied, while others feel light bodied. Wine runs the gamut from light to full, with most falling somewhere in between.
TANNIN
Low
Subtle
Balanced
Pronounced
High
Tannin can range greatly in wine, but it is necessary to some degree, and a necessary constituent for red wines to age well. In high amounts, it can cause a drying affect, which is sensed mostly on the gums and tongue. Tannin is a natural preservative extracted from grape skins, otherwise known as polyphenols that are micronutrients and antioxidants with potential health benefits.
ACIDITY
Soft
Subtle
Balanced
Pronounced
High
Acidity is a foundational component in wine. In fact, low acidity, or ‘flabby’ wine (as the term suggests) is a negative. You can sense acidity mainly on the sides of your tongue. Acidity generally ranges from balanced to high. Crisp acidity adds freshness, making your mouth water. Acidity is a necessary element and helps to balance other components.
SWEETNESS
Dry
Off Dry
Medium Dry
Medium Sweet
Very Sweet
Most wines are characterized as dry to off-dry, but there are some grape varietals, like Riesling, that run the gamut from dry to sweet. The tip of the tongue mainly detects sweetness, which is why it is often the primary characteristic detected. Sweetness is derived from residual sugar that did not ferment into alcohol.
ALCOHOL
13.5%
Alcohol is the by-product of fermentation. Differing grape varieties have differing potential alcohol levels, but regardless warmer areas result in riper grapes resulting in higher alcohol. Alcohol level is an objective number, but its affect on its palate impression is largely determined with how well integrated and balanced it is with other components.
Syrah is widely planted throughout the world, but that was not so until the late twentieth century when Syrah was principally grown in the Rhone Valley and, as Shiraz, in Australia. Stylistically, the Palate Character of Syrah can vary depending on ripeness from a rich Round & Fleshy, Tone & Backbone, to a Powerful & Extracted. The flavors and aromas can also vary with a dark, sometimes sweet, fruit character, varying amount of spice, floral, and earth, and smoke, and meaty aromas and flavors.
Porseleinberg which translates to ‘porcelain mountain’ is the brainchild of Marc Kent, whose vision was to find the right terroir to make syrah with deference to the great wines of the Northern Rhone. In 2009, Kent found an ideal 173-acre wine farm atop the Porseleinberg mountain in Swartland, South Africa.
The terroir is remote, dry, and windy with rocky schistous soils resulting in low yields. The estate grows organically-farmed syrah for their single iconic wine. They are largely non-interventionist, using wild yeasts and 100% whole clusters. Fermentation takes place in concrete vats, and the wine is then aged in a combination of large foudres and concrete eggs–no new oak.
Porseleinberg wines are made by Callie Louw, who is both the viticulturist and winemaker, and the wines speak to the terroir with a nod to old-world winemaking. The wines are medium bodied, structured wines with tons of personality, minerality, and spice. One of the top Syrahs from South Africa, and beyond.
Blackberry
Anise
Leather
Organic
