96 points, Decanter
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95 points, Tim Atkin MW
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93 points, James Suckling
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About the Wine
Critic Reviews
96 points, Decanter
95 points, Tim Atkin MW
93 points, James Suckling
“Anthony Hamilton Russell views this as perhaps his finest Pinot Noir to date. 2021 was a cooler, later vintage (only 2001, 2004 and 2008 have been cooler in the past 25 years). It shows concentrated red berry fruit and sweet and spicy notes on the palate with velvety tannins and structure for the long haul. Aged 10 months in François Frères barriques. Still ultra-youthful, it needs two or three years but will keep several decades.”
95 points, Tim Atkin MW
“The latest in an impressive run of Pinot Noir releases from the ever youthful Emul Ross, this estate red is more backward than the 2020 release, with some earthy grip and structure. Stylishly oaked in 29% new barrels, it’s savory and spicy, with 12% whole bunches, sinewy tannins, and a core of plum, raspberry, and dark cherry fruit. 2023-30”
93 points, James Suckling
“Aromas of cherries and wild strawberries with dried herbs, paprika, citrus rind, and stones. Medium-bodied with a round texture. Refined and delicate pinot with juicy character, impressive tension, and length. Lingering finish with notes of nutshell and spices. Sustainable. Drink or hold.”
About The Winery
Hamilton Russell Vineyards - one of the most southerly wine Estates in Africa and one of the closest to the sea - pioneered viticulture and winemaking in the beautiful, cool, maritime Hemel-en-Aarde Valley appellation, just behind the old fishing village of Hermanus. Tim Hamilton Russell purchased the undeveloped 425-acre property in 1975, after an exhaustive search for the most southerly site on which to make South Africa's top cool climate wines from a selection of noble varieties. His son, Anthony Hamilton Russell, who took over in 1991 (finally buying the property in 1994), narrowed the range to only Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and registered Hamilton Russell Vineyards as an Estate, committing to work only with grapes from their terroir. Today, Anthony and his wife Olive, winemaker Emul Ross, and viticulturist Johan Montgomery are completely dedicated to expressing the personality of the Hamilton Russell Vineyards terroir in their wines. Tiny yields and intense worldwide demand keep the elegant, highly individual, estate-grown Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in very short supply.
