Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir

Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir is a ripe, juicy and nicely compact, with plum sauce, blackberry and cherry skin notes wound at the core while mouth watering anise and singed apple wood notes run along the edges.

Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir possesses impressive cut and persistence.

Hamilton Russell Vineyards, one of the most southerly wine Estates in Africa and one of the closest to the sea – is located in the beautiful, cool, maritime Hemel-en-Aarde Valley appellation, just behind the old fishing village of Hermanus.

The Estate specialises in producing highly individual, terroir driven Pinot noir and Chardonnay, which are widely regarded as the best in South Africa and among the best in the New World.

An early big decision was to move away from the old model of a big farm with a Cape Dutch house and a dozen grape varieties to suit all tastes, taking out all the vines that werent pinot noir or chardonnay.

The thinking was not to try to do anything we didnt have the potential to be unusual and extraordinary in.

Tim Hamilton Russell was, famously, one of a handful of wine producers who campaigned for fair payments for workers, signing the Cape Wine lands Commitment rejecting apartheid in 1989.

Anthonys upbringing was more saturated in progressive politics than in wine.

Anthony was an early mover when it came to getting hold of better clonal material for the vines, arranging with the semi-governmental body that brought in botanical material to plant it at Hamilton Russell, giving the property a four-year head start. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/wine/11715979/Why-South-Africa-is-thrilling-the-wine-world.html

Soil studies ensured the vines went in in the best places. We learnt that the very heavy clay soils are what give us the essential Hamilton Russell-ness.

Year by year, hurdle by hurdle the years after the 2008 crash were very difficult, economically the wines and the business have continued to grow in quality. The wines are on the right; try them.

A clearly South African pinot noir that tastes of dark berries and has firm lines and structure and a gently meaty, savoury, animal undertow that makes me see why Olive Hamilton Russell likes to serve this delicious wine with biltong ravioli. Very impressive.

Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir – Hay Wines