Winemaker Notes
This is from low-vigor, stony, clay-rich soil, cool maritime mesoclimate, naturally tiny yields of well under 35 hl/ha and their philosophy of expressing our terroir in our wines – give rise to a certain tightness, tannin line and elevated length to balance the richness and generosity of their Pinot noir. Their Pinot noir is not overtly fruity, soft and "sweet" and it generally shows hints of that alluring savory "primal" character along with a dark, spicy, complex primary fruit perfume.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This elegant, gently earthy red has aromas and flavors of licorice, mushrooms, bark and red berries. It’s medium-bodied, fresh and juicy, with very fine tannins and subtle spice notes. Delicious now, but can hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
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. Rating: 93+
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
A relatively cool, maritime climate area, Walker Bay includes three important wards: Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. These sites benefit from the cooling ocean winds and are reputed for the production of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinotage.