2024 Pinot Noir, Hamilton Russell Vineyards
Nestled in the breathtaking Hemel en Aarde Valley "Heaven on Earth” behind the old fishing village of Hermanus, Hamilton Russell Vineyards occupies one of the most southerly wine estates in Africa. The cool, maritime climate provides the perfect conditions for some outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with many justified comparisons to Burgundy. Low-vigour, stony clay soils, tiny yields and a philosophy centred on terroir expression produce wines of structure, tension and remarkable length.
"The Hamilton Russell Vineyards 2024 Hemel-en-Aarde Valley Pinot Noir has a spicy, brambly aromatic profile with eucalyptus-like high notes, alongside distant hints of cinnamon, clove and orange zest. This is a lean-bodied red with good textural backing, giving the wine a firm and silky mid-palate. Fermentation includes 10% whole-bunch fruit, with the remainder destemmed but not crushed, and the wine is matured entirely in new and neutral oak for 10 months. The cool maritime climate of Hemel-en-Aarde, shaped by ocean breezes and clay-rich Bokkeveld soils, supports the wine’s precision and restrained structure." Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate