Listen up This price is for 2 bottles, each a magnum One of the Schist and one of the Granite. Schist comes from a 15 year old vineyard on a steep east-facing slope (at Kloovenburg) that produces smaller berries with thicker skins, making a more masculine of wine. Both wines were made with 100% stems, and 50% new wood. Two 500 litre barrels of each wine were made, which equates to 100 cases of each Dense, brooding and rich with some meatiness to the black fruits nose. The palate is rich, bold and intense with lovely black fruits and a fine spicy finish. Nice density and structure here. Meaty, spicy, dense. - Jamie Goode's Wine Blog, 93100 Schist is more narrowly focused and structured than the Granite savory, pungent earth and violet aromas. It shows rich, bright fruit, smoked meat, and minerals on the palate, finishing super-long with thick dark fruit extract. Alc 13.5%. Made from a single parcel of 15 year old vines grown on the shale and schist soils of Riebeek Kasteel Mountain. Sees about 15 months in 500 L French oak, half new. - I-WineReview (December 2013), 94 Matured identically to the Granite Syrah, the 2010 Schist Syrah is sourced from Riebeek Kasteel from the Kloovenberg estate. It has a wonderful, exuberant bouquet with ripe black cherries, blueberry and crushed white flowers with great definition and flamboyance. The palate is full-bodied with succulent dark berries, black olive, cassis, minerals and a touch of white pepper. Plush and vivacious on the finish, this should repay several years cellaring but will drink earlier than the Granite Syrah. Only 1,000 bottles have been released. Drink 2014-2020. - Wine Advocate (Neal Martin, Issue 196, August 2011), 93 - Wine Enthusiast (March 2014), 93 Good dark red. Aromas of raspberry, smoky brown spices and green pepper lifted by a subtle floral topnote. Rich and serious if a bit youthfully clenched, with a restrained sweetness countered by penetrating peppery lift. Shows more thrust and power than the Granite example, as well as more obvious tannins that call for several years of aging. I look forward to following these fascinating wines. - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (Issue 168, MayJune 2013), 92 Sleek and mouthwatering, with lovely white pepper notes stitched through the damson plum, red currant and violet notes, all backed by a long, iron-filled finish. Pure and very focused. Drink now through 2015. 125 cases made. JM - Wine Spectator (February 28th 2013), 92 - 2013 Platter Wine Guide (October 31st 2012), (5 ) Granite is from from a 17 year old vineyard on the Paardeberg with soils that are sandy granitic with a thick layer of clay. Because of the clay, the vines always have good moisture levels, leading to bigger berries with thinner skins, and which enjoy more shade from the larger canopies. This leads to fresh, aromatic wines with some subtle green characters.Both wines were made with 100% stems, and 50% new wood. Two 500 litre barrels of each wine were made, which equates to 100 cases of each Sweet aromatic black cherry fruit nose with some meaty overtones. The palate is fresh, lively and spicy with meaty berry fruits. Its quite rich yet fresh at the same time, with some lighter mineral notes in the mix. Lovely freshness, precision and perfume, with good acidity. - Jamie Goode's Wine Blog, 94100 The 2010 Granite Syrah is the debut release from a new vineyard so it is not extracted from the regular Syrah cuvee. It is 100% whole bunch fruit from Paardeberg fermented in open top barrels. The nose is closed at the moment since it was bottled just the previous week, but coquettishly reveals bright red cherries and hints of crushed violets with time. The palate is medium-bodied with a sweet entry, fleshy red-berried fruit mixed with white pepper and a touch of Provencal herbs, finishing on an Old World note that expresses great freshness, mineralite and precision. It has immense potential so leave this brooding Syrah for 3-4 years. Drink 2014-2020. - Wine Advocate (Neal Martin, Issue 196, August 2011), 93 Granite is a big, showy Syrah revealing smoke, forest floor, roasted meat and dark fruit. Its richly layered and flavored, finishing very long with a prominent, underbrush and earth character. A complex and delicious wine. The 13 % alcohol is very reasonable for such a big wine. Made from 17 year old, dry farmed bush vines grown in the decomposed Granite of Paardeberg mountain. Matured 15 months in 500 L French oak, 50% new. - I-WineReview (December 2013), 93 Lush, with very enticing blueberry and loganberry fruit laced with sanguine and iron notes that drive the finish. Velvety, but with intensity, energy and length. Drink now through 2015. 125 cases made. JM - Wine Spectator (February 28th 2013), 92 - Wine Enthusiast (March 2014), 92 Good bright dark red. Knockout nose combines raspberry, violet, pepper, brown spices and smoked meat very Cote-Rotie-like. Silky on entry, then uncompromisingly dry and very tightly wound in the middle, hinting at violet, pepper and stone. Very long and aromatic on the back end but still youthfully rigid. This will be a beauty with a few years of cellaring. - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (Issue 168, MayJune 2013), 91