HAMILTON RUSSELL VINEYARDS

With this pioneering South African estate’s 40th vintage now safely in tank or cask, Andy Howard MW looks at how it has become one of the New World’s most influential producers of Burgundian-style wines

- Andy Howard MW

Hamilton Russell Vineyards is one of South Africa’s iconic wine estates. Located in the cool, maritime-influenced Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, close to the old fishing village of Hermanus, it is a leading producer of Burgundian-styled wines in the New World.

The 2020 vintage was the estate’s 40th. Since taking over in 1994, Anthony Hamilton Russell and wife Olive have propelled their wine farm into the top echelons, as a source of exemplary Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Their wines from these varieties are far removed from many of those from Chile, the US, New Zealand and Australia, showing more of a stylistic similarity to the terroir-driven wines of the Côte d’Or. Bold, ripe fruit flavours are less pronounced, with a greater emphasis on structure and allowing both the vineyard and vintage character to come through.

At a portfolio tasting in March with UK importer Mentzendorff, Anthony explained that his objective is ‘for the wines to be a reflection of the vintage’. They have depth and complexity, layers of flavour, subtle nuances and the ability to age for at least a decade.

Much of this is down to exceptional estate vineyards combined with the Hamilton Russells’ pursuit of excellence, a sympathetic approach to winemaking, and an adherence to organic and biodynamic principles.

Hemel-en Aarde pioneer

Anthony’s father Tim first planted the vineyards in 1976, after purchasing 172ha of land close to the ocean in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, which stretches from within 1,500m of the ocean to the top of the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. Today, 52ha are under vine with the remaining 120ha covered by fynbos.