Pinot noir Tasting at Braemar

If you do not know who or what Braemar is …then clearly you have missed out!

Braemar is the residence of Anthony and Olive Hamilton Russell situated on Hamilton Russell Vineyards in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Hermanus, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa.

During the month of December 2011, we were invited to participate in a unique tasting of Pinot noirs from three Hemel-en Aarde appellations together with a few wines from Burgundy.

This is an up and coming region where more wineries that are new are opening, producing some top quality wines. The demarcated appellations are: -

HEMEL-EN-AARDE VALLEY includes Southern Right, Hamilton Russell Vineyards, Ashbourne, Bouchard Finlayson and La Vierge.

UPPER HEMEL-EN-AARDE VALLEY includes Sumaridge, Newton Johnson Vineyards and Spookfontein.

HEMEL-EN-AARDE RIDGE includes Ataraxia Mountain Vineyards, Mount Babylon, Jacobs Vineyards, Creation Wines Domain des Dieux, Chrystallum and La Vierge Collection.

Although we did not taste the entire region, we did however manage eight wineries comparing the different appellations over vintages 2009 and 2010.

In general, the 2009 vintages were by far more elegant than the 2010 vintages, which were constrained, and perhaps requiring time in the bottle. The differences between all the appellations are clear in terms of soil types, age of the vines, winemaking practices and maturation.

As ‘wine is only as good as the taster on the day’ our top wines from the appellations were as follows: -

Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge: - Chrystallum Cuvée Cinéma 2009

Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley: - Newton Johnson 2009

Hemel-en-Aarde Valley: - Hamilton Russell Vineyards 2009

Burgundy: - Alain Hudelot-Noellat Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Beaumonts 2009

The highlight of the day was definitely a very special magnum opened in honour of the tasting was CIWG Hamilton Russell ‘Grand Vin Noir’ 1982. The only way to describe this wine is phenomenal!

Exciting times ahead for this region and great wines will come from here - without a doubt!

Nikki Dumas

Winestyle.biz 2012

Patience - Ashbourne 2010 available in 2015

One of the most enjoyable winter activities on a wine estate is tasting through the various components of a blend from the barrel, discussing the possibilities, trying them, confirming them and then making up the blend.

The blend for the Ashbourne 2010 was finalised in August 2011. The wine will only be released in 2015 to enable a sufficient degree of bottle development and it will comprise 75% of Pinotage and  5% each of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Syrah – all grown on the Ashbourne farm in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley.

As they put together the new blend, the team also tasted the current release which is still ageing in the bottle in the cellar. They found  a lovely meaty, savoury nose with black tea, liquorice and dark berry fruit. The palate is long and dense with fine-grained tannins, but without being too big and alcoholic and certainly not “sweet” – more mineral. At only 13.3% alcohol the wine is unusual for a top South African red blend. The 2007 is a blend of Pinotage 82%, Cabernet Sauvignon 9% and Syrah 9%. It will age for many years to come.  

The founding mission in 1996 was for Ashbourne to create South African benchmark blends – one red, one white – which belonged in the company of the world’s great benchmarks without in any way replicating them or seeking to taste like them. The wines are simply different to anything else when viewed in entirety, but do have certain stylistic and “philosophical” points of commonality with Europe.  

If varieties are of importance to the understanding of a wine, Ashbourne is probably best understood as a “Pinotage-plus” while its white wine partner, the Ashbourne Sandstone, is best understood as a “Sauvignon blanc-plus”.

Both 2007’s - the Ashbourne and the Ashbourne Sandstone - are now on the market, but availability is limited contact Talita at talitahrv@hermanus.co.za. The 2008’s will be released in November 2012.

The team is absolutely determined to make the two Ashbourne wines among the most unusual, individual and exceptional wines made in South Africa.

Posted: winestyle.biz

Source: Hamilton Russell Vineyards