Rhône Theme
Timed Online Auction, 2 - 12 February 2024
Rhône | International & South African offering
About the SessionThe first sale of the 2024 Strauss & Co Fine Wine Auction calendar is an exciting Rhône valley and Rhône-style offering and has fast-become one of the most popular at Strauss & Co Fine Wine Auctions.
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About this Item
Under Marc Kent’s guidance, Boekenhoutskloof purchased a small piece of land just past Riebeek-Kasteel in the Swartland back in 2009 and placed winemaker Callie Louw in charge. This Swartland site is fast gaining recognition as one of those special places to farm and produce Syrah. Showing complete dedication, Callie Louw and the Boekenhoutskloof team produce one wine from this address. The vineyards, located on extremely dry and schistous mountains, have been in Callie’s care since the get-go and he only produces a single-vineyard Cape Syrah under the Porseleinberg name.
Winemakers personal tasting note: 'A standalone vintage. Balance between power and finesse. Same upfront fruit and spice as the 2014 vintage with more depth and concentration. The signature fresh tannin is very well integrated with the weight and concentration of the wine. Still a bit reductive, drink from 2020 onward.' - Callie Louw
Provenance
Wine Cellar Private Client
Critics Ratings
'“A stand-alone vintage” as Callie says. This shows a balance between power and finesse a la Northern Rhone with potpourri, dried perfumed lavender, red cherry spice, black berry and subtle smoky reductive cassis hints. In the mouth this is classically taut and precise framed by delicious ‘architecturally soaring’ acids, and incredibly dense fine grained chalky mineral tannins that show a harmoniously balanced power and intensity. A simply profound expression of Syrah.' - Greg Sherwood MW, 97+/100 (2023)
'Sometimes you have to remind yourself how recently this amazing site was planted, making its first wine in 2010. But what a wine this is. If it grown in the Rhône, it would sell for twice the price or more. It’s the Cornas of the Cape: compact, savoury and deeply coloured, with layers of dark, inky fruit, spicy tannins and a combination of freshness and understated power. Drink 2020-32' - Tim Atkin MW, SA Wine Report 2017, 97/100
‘The 2015 Porseleinberg Syrah contains whole-bunch fruit matured in 90% foudres and 10% concrete eggs. It has a very well defined bouquet of brambly black fruit and white pepper, and an engaging sense of coolness pervades these aromatics. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannin and almost Northern Rhône in style, offering ample freshness yet at the same time a brooding intensity. There is quality and refinement here from start to finish. A superb Syrah from winemaker Callie Louw, but one I feel needs two or three years in bottle. Want serious, world class South African wine? Get in line here.’ - Neal Martin, Vinous, 96/100 (Aug 2018)
'Sophisticated, like its minimalist embossed label. Cerebral Syrah from a special Swartland site, hands-off, whole-bunch natural vinification. Riveting perfume, supple palate, fine muscularity. One year in large older oak, 10% in concrete 'egg'' - Platter's SA Wine Guide 2018, 4.5*
'Perhaps ailing a little bit from sulphurous reduction, but there’s plenty of dense fruit on the nose too. The palate is gorgeously ripe and pure with smoke, red fruit and pepper spice. Finely ground tannins, naturally bright acidic lift. Perhaps not the all-singing, all-dancing version I was expecting, but still effortlessly attractive.' - Richard Hemming MW, JancisRobinson.com, 17/20 (Sep 2018)