Syrahs from different continents to challenge a 100-point score

This tasting was triggered by the release of the Porseleinberg Shiraz 2018. Tim Atkins gave this wine a perfect 100 points score before its release and its price skyrocket. Reason to assess if the 2018 Porseleinberg Shiraz - from a South African vintage I am generally less fond of than e.g. 2015, 2017 and 2019 - was indeed worth that score and price. We put the wine in a lineup with five other Shirazes, one other benchmark Shiraz from South Africa and four Shirazes from different continents. The samples were prepared by my friend and me in the morning by splitting the bottles. We tasted the wines - partly blind - in the early evening and followed their development over a period of four days.

• 2013 Ziereisen Syrah Jaspis 90 Points

  Germany, Baden

  Wine 1 of 6 (non-blind). Only 12% ABV. Medium ruby colour. Reserved nose. Medium bodied red berry and some dark berry flavours, cherry, light blackberry, light plum, and pleasant spice notes, with well-integrated if slightly dry tannin, fresh acidity and very good length. Balanced and harmonious. May first association was Garrafeira-style wine from Portugal, not Syrah.
  
  Juicier, creamier, a little fuller, and spicier on day two, without any dryness of tannin. Consistent on day three. The medium-bodied wine is harmonious but does not have the tension or complexity I expected. The best might yet be to come, however. Should work well with food, e.g. filet mignon. Drink from 2024.

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• 2017 Errazuriz Syrah Aconcagua Costa 89 Points

  Chile, Aconcagua Valley

  Wine 2 of 6 (blind). Medium to dark ruby colour. Expressive nose. Violets, good red and dark berry fruit, dark cherry, blackberry, some black currant, milk chocolate, light spice notes, some vanilla, and light oak. Darker than wine 1. The tannin is still present, with medium-level acidity, and very good length. Average concentration and complexity, but very good persistence, on day one. Still a little rustic but fuller on day two, showing more complexity, with better behaved tannin. A little tired on day four, but still drinking well paired with venetian style veal liver. Needs some time. Drink from 2026.

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• 2017 Craggy Range Syrah Gimblett Gravels Vineyard 88 Points

  New Zealand, North Island, Hawke's Bay, Gimblett Gravels

  Wine 3 of 6 (blind). Dark ruby colour. Reductive nose. Slightly artificial red and some dark berry notes, black raspberry, coffee, intense vanilla, and coconutty oak, with good acidity, dry tannin, and very good length. Average concentration. The oak is still noticeable.
  
  By day two, the sweet, vanilla, coconutty, and lightly bitter oak is even more prominent, and off-putting to my taste at this point.
  
  This wine is very young. It will need time to integrate the oak and tannin, and a rib-eye steak. But even with time, this wine is just too heavy on the sweet oak for me. 88(?) for those who like the style.

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• 2010 Liebich Shiraz The Darkie 91 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  Wine 4 of 6 (blind). Heady. Dark berries, dark cherry, ripe blackberry, plum, mint, chocolate, spices, and light balsamic notes, with medium-level acidity, and youthful tannin. Great concentration, and great persistence. The high alcohol (15% ABV) shows on the finish. On day one, despite of the youthful tannin and light heat this probably is the most complete of today‘s wines. No change by day two, and still enjoyable on day four. That said, I am not convinced that this wine will continue to age well and am concerned that it might as well start to fall apart at some point. Time will tell. Current library release. 100% Barossa Shiraz. Aged for five years in various aged American and French hogshead barrels.

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• 2016 Hartenberg Shiraz Gravel Hill 91 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  Wine 5 of 6 (blind). Ripe, integrated red and dark berry notes, light coffee, dark cocoa, light smoke, and complex spice notes, with ripe tannin, slightly pronounced acidity that is not perfectly integrated at this point, and very good length. On day one, the wine seems disjointed as it enters into the last third, and hence not fully harmonious, but seems to hold promise.
  
  By day two, the wine is dense and concentrated, and more harmonious. On day four, the tannin is a little sandpapery and the wine has become a little drying and asks for food.
  
  Good mid-term potential. Should be fun to watch this evolve. Hold for now, and start drinking from 2025.

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• 2018 Porseleinberg Swartland 94 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland

  Wine 6 of 6 (non-blind). Tim Atkins gave this wine a perfect 100 points score before its release and the price skyrocket: I paid €36 for the 2017, this 2018 hit the European market at €100. Expectations were high, naturally, although I remained skeptical since I am not a fan of the warm 2018 vintage in general.
  
  Dark ruby colour. Black tea leaves, iodine, chemical notes, meaty notes, spices, black pepper, clove, and an unexpected vegetal aspect, with medium-level acidity, ripe, fine-grained tannin, and superb length. Great complexity, density and concentration. Weird flavour profile though.
  
  The wine remains tight over the following days. By day four, it opens up a little to floral notes, blackberry and boysenberry notes, and light chocolate. Still dense, deep, and complex, it now is somewhat harmonious, while the black tea leaf component and firm tannic dryness remain.
  
  I do not fully understand this wine, but am positive. It might be very long-lived. Needs food at this point but holds a lot of promise. 94(++)(?)

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So, may the 2018 Porseleinberg develop into a 100-point wine? It is too early to tell. At half the price, The 2010 Darkie Shiraz (for those looking for a fuller style) and the Gravel Hill Shiraz (for those looking for a more refined style) offer earlier appeal, even if they are not quite on the same level. A fun tasting!