Provenance

Private Client

Critics Ratings

‘The second drought vintage. Red and black berries, floral perfume and fynbos. Rich and round with an appealing sweetness and smooth tannins. Alc: 14.5% (the highest to date) and the resulting wine is undeniably opulent.’ – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za, 93/100 (Jun 2023)

‘From vineyard on Kasteelberg home-farm. Soil deeper, denser, little water-holding capacity, vines & bunches smaller. Fynbos scent, some smokiness, 2017 shows seamless elegance with a fine tannin structure, exceptional purity & vivacity. Long life ahead.’ - Platter’s SA Wine Guide 2020, 5* (96/100)

‘Offers lots of energy, with notes of dark chocolate–covered licorice and blackberry paste, accented by tobacco and violet details that linger in the background. Offers firm grip, as the tannins need a bit more time to integrate, but this could be enjoyed now with the right food. Drink now through 2035.’ – Wine Spectator, 94/100 (May 2020)

‘You can smell the schist: perfumed but sparky, packed with petrichor and potpourri. Rounded and generous, this builds to a crescendo, the succulent tannins, ripe fruit and keen acidity coming together with a flourish. Very long, deeply inlaid with oak spice. Freshness and power combined.’ – Matt Walls, Decanter.com, 94/100 (Sep 2020)

‘The Schist Syrah is sourced from the extensive Roundstone property and, like its stablemates Granite and Iron, is fermented with whole bunches and aged in one third-new oak. Rich, savoury and concentrated, but with considerable underlying finesse, rose petal notes and refreshing, palate-cleansing acidity. 2021-30’ - Tim Atkin MW, SA Special Report 2019, 95/100

‘Even more savoury than the Granite Syrah. Restrained, dark and peppery. Chalky, chewy dry finesse. More northern Rhône than the Granite Syrah but with the ripeness of Swartland heat. This is all about the texture on the finish. Extreme elegance.’ – Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, 18/20 (Sep 2019)

‘The black-fruited 2017 Schist Syrah is compact and dense with notes of blackberry, dark cherry and dusty spiced plum with a complex structure and tight, rocky core. In its youth, the wine is bold and elegant with a chewy tannic line through the mid-palate, ending with a long, textural finish and dense tannic grip that will loosen in time. This wine is as focused as it is delicious. Make no mistake, this is world-class Syrah that has power, longevity and finesse.’ – Anthony Mueller, Wine Advocate, 93/100 (Oct 2019)

‘The 2017 Schist Syrah has a much more outgoing bouquet compared to its Granite counterpart, offering ebullient dark cherry, boysenberry and Provençal herb aromas; fennel and star anise emerge with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a liberal sprinkling of cracked black pepper and a feisty, open-knit finish. Just thoroughly pleasurable.’ – Neal Martin, Vinous, 93/100 (Oct 2019)