2022 Porseleinberg

Callie Louw revealed his passion for breeding cattle in the time when he is not crafting one of the Cape’s finest Syrah. “The 2022 vintage had an amazing start,” he told me when I visited his winery, which is truly in the middle of nowhere. “For the first time since 2015, we had above-average rainfall (475mm), and it rained throughout winter with decent spells during the growing season. There was nothing that encouraged rot, just showery. The canopies were amazing. Then, on January 1, the sun shone, and we got heat all the way to February 14 until March 10, the latest that I’ve picked. But it has the lowest alcohol at 13.3%. It is a vintage that is difficult to understand.” A fantastic wine, this Syrah is a benchmark for South Africa, one that benefits from several years in bottle. Readers should refer to my vertical tasting from earlier this year.