95 points, Tim Atkin MW
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91 points, Wine Spectator
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90 points, Wine Enthusiast
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90 points, Vinous
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90 points, James Suckling
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89 points, Wine Advocate
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About the Wine
Critic Reviews
95 points, Tim Atkin MW
91 points, Wine Spectator
90 points, James Suckling
90 points, Vinous
90 points, Wine Enthusiast
89 points, Wine Advocate
“Made from a site planted in 1996 to make a single vineyard Pinotage - quite a bold move at the time by Anthony Hamilton Russell - Ashbourne was not produced between 2011 and 2015 and includes some new material in 2018. Grippy, firm and serious, it’s a very ambitious red with some spice from the addition of stems, blackberry and red berry fruit and fine oak. Bravo! 2022-28”
91 points, Wine Spectator
“Vibrant version that combines elegance with just the right amount of power. Opens up with mint before the palate turns to show Damson plum, black currant, violet, vanilla and tangy mineral, which adds interest. Long, elegant finish. Best from 2022 through 2032.”
90 points, James Suckling
“A juicy and fruity red with plum and berry character and hints of ash and earth. Aromatic and fascinating. Medium body with fine tannins that are firm and silky. Juicy finish. Delicious now, but will improve with age.”
90 points, Vinous
“The 2018 Pinotage, matured for 10 months in 400-liter French oak, has a lifted, perfumed bouquet of violet and iris-infused black fruit, camphor coming through with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with a medicinal opening, quite citrusy in style, and a brisk and focused finish. This is a classy, thoroughly enjoyable Pinotage.”
90 points, Wine Enthusiast
“Pronounced aromas and flavors of wild berry, cherry and plum form the grounded soul of this plush, fruit-forward wine. Additional notes of vanilla bean and black licorice add interest to the medium-weight palate, and carry through to linger on the long, spicy finish. Velvety tannins and just enough acidity to keep the sip from feeling overly heavy keep the package all in balance. Drink now– 2027.”
89 points, Wine Advocate
“Beginning with a soft, herbal edge on the nose, the 2018 Hemel en Aarde Valley Pinotage shows a lighter style with red fruit, bay leaf, sage and laurel, with red cherry skin, cranberry and creosote aromas in the glass. Medium-bodied and with 13.5% alcohol, the palate unfolds to show layers of complexity before tannins drive the mid-palate along with a tart essence. Concluding with a persistent note of wild brush, the finish lingers with layers of sweet and sour red fruit. Only nine barrels were made.”
About The Winery
Ashbourne is a small Pinotage, and White blend specialist, founded in 1996 by Anthony Hamilton Russell and located on a beautiful 64 hectare property in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley on the eastern border of Hamilton Russell Vineyards. Ashbourne’s primary aim is for its founding wine, released in 2001 and grown on extremely clay-rich, stony soils, well suited to nursing a high level of refinement and classic styling. Five years later, the first Ashbourne Sandstone was made as a white wine partner to the Pinotage. This unwooded blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Semillon was designed as the most beautiful possible expression of the quartzitic sandstone soils and was the first South African wine to be fermented and aged in amphorae.
