Brick red with light brown edges. Interesting nose with dried floral notes, a little toasted with strawberries. Developed more complexity on day two with smokiness, mesquite wood, sweet spices and a bit of iron. Low tannins (4.5/10) and medium acidity (5.5/10). Very similar to an aged Pinot Noir on the palate with strawberries, rhubarb and lightly floral. Dry with a medium plus length finish. Smoother and more open on day two. Drink now.
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Pop 'n pour, consumed over 2 hours. Initially funky nose but blew off quickly. Interesting nose - kind of a cross between candied new world and Burgundian. On the palate, silky and soft with earthy, adolescent Pinot flavors through the mid-palate to the finish. Fairly light and not really opening up after vigorous swirling with 1+ hours in the glass. I'd say this is in a slightly awkward stage at this time, though was still very interesting and enjoyable. Suggest holding another 2-3 years at least.
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From Coravin. Cream, vanilla, slightly reductive notes, herbaceous as well as some ripe dark fruit here...a little warm and alight astringent on the palate, fruit is muted and some cream and vanilla. Hmm.
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Light to mud bodied. Fading at the rim. It benefitted from a bit of air to smooth out a bit of volatility. The flavour is quite unusual for a Pinot and has a slightly medicinal, or clove as a previous note puts it, edge to it. It is fairly lean with decent acidity p, it could probably keep, but I'm not convinced it's got enough fruit to really improve more. Decent enough but not sure that I'd buy again.
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Double decanted. Initially dusty, dark and savoury...muted dark berry fruits, leather, spice and earthy elements. Quite dense and hard on the palate and closed but with plentiful almost bitter spice. Touches of clove for me here as well. The rest of the bottle can have a bit of time and be consumed later - we'll see if it opens up at all.
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Quite spicy on the nose with great depth. There's not a massive amount of fruit on the palate, a bit more masculine, leaner than the 2006, mineral, still quite powerful, again great length. Drinking well, but should hold up for a while. 91-93
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Not quite the "Heaven on Earth" potential I remembered from earlier bottles. Shortly after release, we tried a bottle and our faces were nearly ripped off with the intense black fruit/tannin/acidity--which is exactly what you want to find in an age-worthy wine upon release. We expressed our shame at having committed infanticide, and quietly went about purchasing all the rest of the bottles as this seemed like an in-the-bag home run come 5-7 years of cellaring. So, I just opened the first of the 2 I have left. I was very disappointed to not recognize any of the multi-layered character of that early bottle. It just seemed a bit hard, lackluster, no delicious fruit, no mouthwatering acidity. Just kind of "okay" and definitely hinting at having reached an age past which was its prime. I will not wait too long to open my last bottle, but I really hope this was just a bottle anomaly. It seemed to hold such perfection in its youth.
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Die Farbe des Hamilton Russell Pinot Noirs 2007 war wie man sie sich bei einem Pinot Noir idealtypisch vorstellen mag. Rubin rot, vitale Reflexe, kaum Verfärbungen am Rand und schöne Transparenz. Die Nase brauchte ca. zwei Stunden in der geöffneten Flasche um auf touren zu kommen. Zunächst wirkte sie zwar feingliedrig aber etwas sehr fruchtig, leicht süßlich, insgesamt leicht monoton und eher zurückhaltend. Später entwickelte sich der nasale Eindruck hin zu wesentlich mehr Komplexität und Ernsthaftigkeit. Nun zeigten sich ausgeprägte Aromen von reifen Himbeeren, hellen Kirschen, einem vermutbaren Etwas an roten Johannisbeeren, nicht zu wenig Erdigkeit, Spuren von Vanille sowie gut abgestimmte Düfte die an Nelken, Leder und feuchtes Unterholz erinnerten. Am Gaumen benötigte er ebenfalls um die zwei Stunden um richtig aufzuwachen. Die Säure wirkte vergleichsweise mild. Dies mag dazu geführte haben, dass ich den 2007er als etwas dicklicher und reichhaltiger empfand als ältere Ausgaben. Trotzdem hatte er strukturell nur wenig von einem Neue Welt Pinot Noir an sich wie man sich einen solchen viel zu oft gerne vorstellen mag. Ein Schreihals, eine Fruchtbombe oder ein aufgeblasener Poser war der Wein meiner Meinung nach zu keinem Zeitpunkt. Muskel, Kraft und "sanften" Druck zeigte der Hamilton Russell schon. Doch immer auf eine bescheidenen und zurückgefahrene Weise. Die Aromen zeigten sich mit der Nase mehrheitlich deckungsgleich. Insgesamt wirkten diese hier etwas metallisch-streng-eleganter und weniger leichtfüßig-fruchtig-schwingend wie in der Nase. Auch ein erstaunlich mineralisch – von mir aus auch salzig – wirkender Unterton sollte nicht unerwähnt bleiben. Alles in allem sicher nicht mein bester Pinot Noir von Hamilton Russell. Dennoch ohne größere innere Diskussionen und sonstartigen Abwegungen ein sehr anständiger Wein! Ich bin mir sicher, dass ihm noch einige Jahre in der Flasche gut tun werden.
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nice and powerful one of the first pinot from South Africa I have had - you fell that this is oversea and not Europe - a very tasteful wine where I got vanilla, chocolate, a lot of reed cherries and black currant. The wine is still very elegant - therefore 91 and not 90 - long good aftertaste - good balance between acidity and tannins - I am quite positive here - a good wine that actually should develop further.
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Vraiment très bien. C'est un des vins que je ne manque pas d'acheter lorsqu'il y en a sur les tablettes (même chose pour le Chardonnay d'ailleurs). Je me posais la question sur sa capacité de vieillissement et la dernière fois que j'avais ouvert une bouteille était il y a environ 2 ans. Le vin a certainement évolué. La couleur donne l'impression qu'on est sur un vin encore plus vieux (un peu brûnatre et opaque, comme s'il n'avait pas été filtré). En bouche, je constate également une certaine évolution. Les tanins sont biens fondus, rien n'accroche. C'est tout à fait charmeur, même s'il est moins vif qu'en toute jeunesse.
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Still too young! A first a bit awkward, kitsch'y and reserved. Some hours later a substantial turn into a serious direction. Fine and a bit forceful texture. Very good fruit flavours of dark cherries, maybe a bit ostentatious, but structurally very impressive. Sorry for that miserable tasting note (was the last wine of the tasting ;-) ). Give it a few years pls
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We poured the wine into a decanted, served the first glass immediately and followed the wine over a period of three hours. It offered cherry, bacon fat, smoke, a hint of chocolate, spices, vegetal notes and autumn leaves on the nose. On the palate the wine showed dark cherry, cranberry, smoke, hints of coffee and chocolate, some vegetal notes and medium-level spiciness, paired with medium-level slightly pungent acidity, medium-level well-integrated tannin, a good, medium rich mouthfeel and very good length. A solid, medium-bodied, medium-complex, balanced Pinot Noir that showed good potential for further development over the next 5+ years. 89+
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Shared with Lionel and Rachel at our old haunt outside Bottles & Bottles. This wine has really come around from the since the bottle we carted back from South Africa four years ago. Tonight, it was a very good example of New World Pinot. It had a rather Burgundian nose in fact. Gone were the strange antiseptic and burnt rubber notes from its youth. In its place, there very old world earthy, meaty tones, but also a riper, sunnier expression of dark cherries sprinkled with lots of spice. Close your eyes though, and this could well be a young Burgundy from a ripe vintage with that bouquet. The palate was not to far from the Cote d'or either, with yummy dark cherries and berry flavours, a little bramble and spice, all couched in nice acidity and fine, well-structured tannins. This had really good depth and nice juicy balance all round, a decent finish too with a nice earthy ring to it. There was just a bit of sunny sweetness here, but otherwise this could easily be a decent 1er Cru. Still young, quite straightforward, but very nice. I am tempted to load up on a few bottles to see how they age in the coming 4-5 years.
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My Birthday celebration Tasting (Extra Space, Boon Keng): This has a contrasting colour to 2007 Delta Vineyard Pinot Noir Hatter's Hill, maturing colour with medium ruby colour and touch of bricking hues. Elegant but less expressive on the nose, aroma of red fruits, red cherry with hints of South Africa trademark smoky fruits. Very approachable and balance on palate, with red fruits and touch of smokiness in a nice and subtle way. South African wines tend to have the smokiness on the nose as well as palate and if that is not handle well it tend to show the burnt rubber smell and taste which is also commonly find in Pinotage. It has a very nice acidity leading to a medium finish and soft tannins. This bottle has developed well and drinking nicely now. It makes me believe that South Africa can also produce a good Pinot Noir.
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PnVnD. Only open about 20 minutes before tasting. Fairly dark in color, at least compared to many of the Côte de Beaunes that I've been drinking. A little dirt and barnyardiness (just right) with some smoke and a bit of cherry. This will probably open up a little more as it warms up and airs. Tart cherries (good acidity) flavor and a smokey finish. Should pair well with the marinaded and grilled shrimp that I have planned.
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I liked this bottle more than the last. Decanted for around 2 hours, alcohol taste had blown off. No longer tannic. Still an usual pinot -- has the lightness, but not so much earth. Still too much cost for what it is, however.
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after 20 min of air time. Nice brick colors with orange hues.. Sweet cherries, caramel, almost strawberries. "En bouche" (palate), it brings a lot of Spices. At first try it was big on chocolate and coffee, but now after a few minutes it came better together. Soft tannins. spicy finish that is long on the nose fruits, keep opening. it has a strong oak background but not overwhelming, very well integrated in the character of this wine. A solid Pinot, with a footprint.
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Stunning nose! Strawberry, roses, raspberries and suble wood. Lacking depth and on the palate less refined than on the nose but 95 for the nose and 89 for taste makes a 92 point wine. I can sniff this wine for hours.... lovely.
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Team gathering at work. Pretty good wine, but didn't do it for me. Nice marriage between old and new world, high pitched cherries, relatively restrained and earthy. My main problem with it was that the acidity was weirdly non integrated, making the wine shrill and somewhat disjointed. I wonder how the second bottle will fare with some age.
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Very earthy/savoury with strong mushroom notes. Nose didn’t reveal much initially (although developed quite nicely with time in glass), but palate was bursting with flavours and had decent length.
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Solid Pinot. A bit too sweet/syrupy. Light to medium bodied. More earth and spice is what I like. Good cherry fruit. At $40 it's tough (conversion killing them). Nice in the mid 20's probably.
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Decanted for 2 hours, which was good for the wine. The wine can still mature for another couople of years in the cellar. Drank with grilled lamb with lots of fresh herbs, which was a good combination with the wine. Much more fruity than a Pinot Noir from Bourgogne, 2007 which we drank at the same time for comparison. The lamb was served with a sallad of mushrooms.
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Restrained fruit, but retains high alcohol impression, although just 13.5%. Not exactly earthy, but the flavor profile is lighter as a pinot. Decant, and could wait some more time in the cellar. This bottle cost $40, but while good I would not buy again at this high price. The strong rand won't help break into the US market.
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Complètement différent de mon expérience précédent avec ce vin. Aromatique et exhubérant. Le boisé est charmeur est le tout est déja très bien intégré. Sans faille, sans équivoque! Bu après un mousseux. Le clou de la soirée! Wow !
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Brownish colour, appearing much older than something from the 2007 vintage. Cherry fruit profile, some oak and a strong suggestion of roots and chinese medicine. Not detestable but not entirely likeable either.
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classic south African smokiness with maybe a touch of brett? I found this wine interesting with food but neither complex or fruit filled enough to enjoy on its own.
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Light red color. Nose with earth, cherry kernels and cedar. Quite some acidity and sturdy tannins but well balanced. Medium long finish. A very good and well made Pinot. Does not have the elegance and complexity you find in old world pinots but it would be hard to find something as good as this for the same price from Bourgogne.
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Plus léger qu'espéré. Je sais, c'est un Pinot, mais il me semble que mon expérience précédente avec une version antérieure m'avait marquée davantage. Le côté "Afrique du Sud" (je me serais attendu à quelque chose de plus corsé) était peu perceptible. L'air lui a fait ressort un peu ses arômes, mais pas assez à mon goût.
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There is a beefy, soy sauce edge to these Hamilton Russell Pinots that really need some time to stretch out and relax. This is probably a good 2-3 years from being ready but even now you get beef, mint, spices and red earth. Good but will improve
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Light red, fruity spice nose. Nicely smooth for the youth. Slight sweetness on the palate. A good drink, maybe a couple of years to really show its best.
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Very enjoyable bottle of Pinot. Enjoyed with Silver Salmon. the wine was fruity, fresh and bright with good balance and acidity. Happy to have a few more.
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2007 93 pts WS Dark cherries, sour cherries. Tabac nice acidity. very earthy. Went very nice with our mushrooms pasta dinner very interesting. Much closer to France than US... 92 pts 45 CAD
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A very minty nose with a cool and fresh tones. Nuanced spices, red berries and evident south african smoke... Barely medium bodied with a soft beginning and a tense finish. Light oak. Too minty and strange body, but good taste. Very special PN. Try it.
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Still young with a potential to mature nicely over 3-4 years. After having read the CT we decanted the wine for two hours before drinking, which we believe was good for the wine. We drank with breast of duck and a mushroom lasagne, which was an excellent combination. The wine was well balanced with a sweet and mineral like smell and sweet marmalade of strawberries on the palate. Looking forward to see how this wine will mature in the cellar.
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I sure wished I read the CT notes BEFORE I started drinking this wine. Holy mackeral did this start out smokey!! Almost bacon-like. Not recognizable as Pinot Noir to me. Smelled and tasted like Liquid Smoke. Tart unripened fruit. Vegetal, leafy element. Verging on undrinkable.
Day 3 - what a comeback!! This is like the '86 Mets (sorry Sox fans). A TOTALLY different wine now. Nose has leafy mintiness, earth with raspberry and cranberries. Totally balanced on the palate. Definitely no fruit bomb here. Old World style. Great finish!
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Popped and poured through Vinturi ... Very earthy, funky nose (big time funk!) ... Crisp and light with first taste out of the bottle; a little tart (acidic) ... Better balanced and deeper with a nice spicy edge after an hour or so in the glass. Stronger with food and paired well with grilled pork tenderloin.
Decent Pinot but, for the money, I guess I expected more. I've had bottles at almost half this price point (approx. $38) that are just as good, if not better. Would not buy again.
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That smarmy BBQ sweat thing is easing out nicely into more Oregano and dense herbs. The palate has taken on a little weight, but the acid remains high. Certainly world class at $40.
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Enjoyed by all, Pinot lovers and non-lovers. Very different from most, as its a little more subtle on its delivery. A little more earthy than your usual Pinot. Very nice mouthfeel and finish.
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This was my first Pinot from South Africa. After decorking, the nose was nothing but the terroir. I have never tasted anything as earthy ... it was like a handful of dirt. Allowed to breathe for 45 minutes and the fruit began to appear. Berries of all types .... a nice wine after all.
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Hamilton Russell night with Jeremy and Alison. Opened the 07 and 08 together, but the 07 pinot was the star of the evening (including the 06 chardonnay). More development here than the 08 could muster, and the 'hounds were baying for more.
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Night 1 = It started out tart. (89) It was beginning to pull together and become more complex by the end of the meal. I would recommend holding off a little longer...Night 2 = 90, Night 3 = 91
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Very unusual wine, didn't care for this at first, a strange taste and smell out of the bottle. After an hour it really changed and was a joy to consume.
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Exceptional. This is the best South African wine I've ever had. The flavor spectrum ran the gamut: intense cherries and smoked meat, mint, light baking spices, brilliant minerality and acidity, light licorice and vanilla from the oak, and silky tannins that I didn't notice until I began writing this review. The smoked meat note dissipated over time--I would not decant this wine. It doesn't seem like this wine will be long-lived. Maybe it could get slightly better with some short bottle aging, but I would drink it now. At $31, an excellent buy. 93.
Edit: Actually, later today, the racy smoked meat notes are still strong and this wine is drinking wonderfully. Either my senses got saturated earlier today or these notes are less prominent at warmer temperatures. I'm also picking up a little more herbaceousness. This is the most interesting wine I've had in quite a while.
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Medium garnet color. Nose with lots of wet earth, cola, and black tea. Just a bit of black cherry and cedar. However, Spectator hit it on the head with BRAMBLE. This thing reeks of bramble -- so if you like that sort of thing, this wine will please you. One the palate it is moderately complex with some upfront acidity but overall well balanced. Moderate finish. Moved up a point since last tasting as I can see the interesting nose and moderate complexity but just didn't get much enjoyment out of it.
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TWATS VI (Clive's Crib): Translucent pink/red, strawberry. A little bit ass on the nose, fish. Smoky. Up front, light, bit of acid over the vegetable herb thing it’s got going. Good summer wine chilled.
Clive - #6
Last sip Pre Skirt lifting – Acid gone. Full mouth feel.
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For a complimentary bottle from a hotel in Joburg I wasnt expecting much but I loved this wine. Its pretty robust, smooth and well structured. Cherry comes through with smoky & vegatal flavours.
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At first, extremely burnt rubber and dettol like which reminded me of a hospital ward. Subsequently, the fruits started to reveal itself with more cherries that got plumpier with time. It gained some gevry-like woodsy earthy characteristics and a few undertones of vosne-type spices of cloves. The woodspice made it increasingly more palatable and enjoyable as compared to the start when it felt very imbalanced and flawed. A strange experience of a backward to forward wine.
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Lunch @ Bistro Senso (Singapore Flyer): What a really strange wine - it opened with a really high-toned nose, I got tangerine, cherry, fresh mushroom, oaky vanilla. All rather charming, but with just a bit of antiseptic, rubber-glove like smells underlying all the nicer tones. The palate was really disturbing though, just overwhelmingly tasting of burnt rubber, that most mythical of South African red wine flaws. I found little of it through the many bottles that we tasted when in SA recently, but this was replete with charred rubber - quite horribly so in fact. Other than that, some heat. Fine but grippy tannins. Some Dark cherry. Meaty, powerful wine, but just so very rubbery. After an hour though, the rubber began to blow off, and the wine took on more power and a lot more primary, but rather clean and fresh cherry flavours. I left the bottle aside for a day, and it was positively yummy when I got back to it. Lots and lots of fresh dark cherries now. Still a bit of heat, a little simple on the nose, slightly short finish, but plump cherries and then plums all round and a touch of ferrous mineral and spice, all held up by fresh acid and a nice sense of structure - actually rather enjoyable.
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1/1/2018 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 88 Points
Brick red with light brown edges. Interesting nose with dried floral notes, a little toasted with strawberries. Developed more complexity on day two with smokiness, mesquite wood, sweet spices and a bit of iron. Low tannins (4.5/10) and medium acidity (5.5/10). Very similar to an aged Pinot Noir on the palate with strawberries, rhubarb and lightly floral. Dry with a medium plus length finish. Smoother and more open on day two. Drink now.
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3/26/2016 - Imagnu Likes this wine: 89 Points
Past it - surprising after 9 years.
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2/12/2016 - leonardo_de_araujo wrote: 89 Points
Décline maybe?
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1/3/2016 - PIntag wrote:
Pop 'n pour, consumed over 2 hours. Initially funky nose but blew off quickly. Interesting nose - kind of a cross between candied new world and Burgundian. On the palate, silky and soft with earthy, adolescent Pinot flavors through the mid-palate to the finish. Fairly light and not really opening up after vigorous swirling with 1+ hours in the glass. I'd say this is in a slightly awkward stage at this time, though was still very interesting and enjoyable. Suggest holding another 2-3 years at least.
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11/12/2015 - chatters wrote:
End of Project Supper 4 (Le Trader, Harris Street, Pyrmont): a bit out of whack. ripe fruit but also green notes and obvious oak - vanilla.
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10/30/2015 - chatters wrote:
From Coravin. Cream, vanilla, slightly reductive notes, herbaceous as well as some ripe dark fruit here...a little warm and alight astringent on the palate, fruit is muted and some cream and vanilla. Hmm.
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10/10/2015 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 89 Points
Drank this with grilled king salmon. The wine was drinking well with lots of cola and cherry flavors. Nice acid balance.
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9/19/2015 - kingkanu wrote:
Light to mud bodied. Fading at the rim. It benefitted from a bit of air to smooth out a bit of volatility. The flavour is quite unusual for a Pinot and has a slightly medicinal, or clove as a previous note puts it, edge to it. It is fairly lean with decent acidity p, it could probably keep, but I'm not convinced it's got enough fruit to really improve more. Decent enough but not sure that I'd buy again.
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9/3/2015 - chatters wrote:
Double decanted. Initially dusty, dark and savoury...muted dark berry fruits, leather, spice and earthy elements. Quite dense and hard on the palate and closed but with plentiful almost bitter spice. Touches of clove for me here as well. The rest of the bottle can have a bit of time and be consumed later - we'll see if it opens up at all.
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2/19/2015 - rossi.wine wrote: 92 Points
Quite spicy on the nose with great depth. There's not a massive amount of fruit on the palate, a bit more masculine, leaner than the 2006, mineral, still quite powerful, again great length. Drinking well, but should hold up for a while. 91-93
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1/21/2015 - ToddR911 wrote: 88 Points
just average, time to drink these up
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1/14/2015 - SexyEpicurean wrote: 87 Points
Not quite the "Heaven on Earth" potential I remembered from earlier bottles. Shortly after release, we tried a bottle and our faces were nearly ripped off with the intense black fruit/tannin/acidity--which is exactly what you want to find in an age-worthy wine upon release. We expressed our shame at having committed infanticide, and quietly went about purchasing all the rest of the bottles as this seemed like an in-the-bag home run come 5-7 years of cellaring. So, I just opened the first of the 2 I have left. I was very disappointed to not recognize any of the multi-layered character of that early bottle. It just seemed a bit hard, lackluster, no delicious fruit, no mouthwatering acidity. Just kind of "okay" and definitely hinting at having reached an age past which was its prime. I will not wait too long to open my last bottle, but I really hope this was just a bottle anomaly. It seemed to hold such perfection in its youth.
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8/22/2014 - chadslater wrote:
Drank with Spanish chicken dish. After corked Bourchard and a Morgon, was the hit of the night. Still very good, acidity, showing age. Perfect now
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7/3/2014 - DugyDog Does not like this wine: 87 Points
I appear to be in the minority here but this pinot tastes syrupy, with tart red cherry prevailing.
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6/3/2014 - Oh Dae-su wrote: 90 Points
Die Farbe des Hamilton Russell Pinot Noirs 2007 war wie man sie sich bei einem Pinot Noir idealtypisch vorstellen mag. Rubin rot, vitale Reflexe, kaum Verfärbungen am Rand und schöne Transparenz. Die Nase brauchte ca. zwei Stunden in der geöffneten Flasche um auf touren zu kommen. Zunächst wirkte sie zwar feingliedrig aber etwas sehr fruchtig, leicht süßlich, insgesamt leicht monoton und eher zurückhaltend. Später entwickelte sich der nasale Eindruck hin zu wesentlich mehr Komplexität und Ernsthaftigkeit. Nun zeigten sich ausgeprägte Aromen von reifen Himbeeren, hellen Kirschen, einem vermutbaren Etwas an roten Johannisbeeren, nicht zu wenig Erdigkeit, Spuren von Vanille sowie gut abgestimmte Düfte die an Nelken, Leder und feuchtes Unterholz erinnerten. Am Gaumen benötigte er ebenfalls um die zwei Stunden um richtig aufzuwachen. Die Säure wirkte vergleichsweise mild. Dies mag dazu geführte haben, dass ich den 2007er als etwas dicklicher und reichhaltiger empfand als ältere Ausgaben. Trotzdem hatte er strukturell nur wenig von einem Neue Welt Pinot Noir an sich wie man sich einen solchen viel zu oft gerne vorstellen mag. Ein Schreihals, eine Fruchtbombe oder ein aufgeblasener Poser war der Wein meiner Meinung nach zu keinem Zeitpunkt. Muskel, Kraft und "sanften" Druck zeigte der Hamilton Russell schon. Doch immer auf eine bescheidenen und zurückgefahrene Weise. Die Aromen zeigten sich mit der Nase mehrheitlich deckungsgleich. Insgesamt wirkten diese hier etwas metallisch-streng-eleganter und weniger leichtfüßig-fruchtig-schwingend wie in der Nase. Auch ein erstaunlich mineralisch – von mir aus auch salzig – wirkender Unterton sollte nicht unerwähnt bleiben. Alles in allem sicher nicht mein bester Pinot Noir von Hamilton Russell. Dennoch ohne größere innere Diskussionen und sonstartigen Abwegungen ein sehr anständiger Wein! Ich bin mir sicher, dass ihm noch einige Jahre in der Flasche gut tun werden.
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5/31/2014 - ILarsen wrote: 91 Points
nice and powerful one of the first pinot from South Africa I have had - you fell that this is oversea and not Europe - a very tasteful wine where I got vanilla, chocolate, a lot of reed cherries and black currant. The wine is still very elegant - therefore 91 and not 90 - long good aftertaste - good balance between acidity and tannins - I am quite positive here - a good wine that actually should develop further.
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5/25/2014 - martcouz wrote: 91 Points
Vraiment très bien. C'est un des vins que je ne manque pas d'acheter lorsqu'il y en a sur les tablettes (même chose pour le Chardonnay d'ailleurs). Je me posais la question sur sa capacité de vieillissement et la dernière fois que j'avais ouvert une bouteille était il y a environ 2 ans. Le vin a certainement évolué. La couleur donne l'impression qu'on est sur un vin encore plus vieux (un peu brûnatre et opaque, comme s'il n'avait pas été filtré). En bouche, je constate également une certaine évolution. Les tanins sont biens fondus, rien n'accroche. C'est tout à fait charmeur, même s'il est moins vif qu'en toute jeunesse.
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4/29/2014 - Oh Dae-su wrote: 90 Points
Still too young! A first a bit awkward, kitsch'y and reserved. Some hours later a substantial turn into a serious direction. Fine and a bit forceful texture. Very good fruit flavours of dark cherries, maybe a bit ostentatious, but structurally very impressive. Sorry for that miserable tasting note (was the last wine of the tasting ;-) ). Give it a few years pls
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11/27/2013 - timboom1 wrote: 91 Points
No detailed notes other than yum. Red fruit, spice and well balanced. Drinking great.
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11/11/2013 - PSPatrick wrote: 89 Points
We poured the wine into a decanted, served the first glass immediately and followed the wine over a period of three hours. It offered cherry, bacon fat, smoke, a hint of chocolate, spices, vegetal notes and autumn leaves on the nose. On the palate the wine showed dark cherry, cranberry, smoke, hints of coffee and chocolate, some vegetal notes and medium-level spiciness, paired with medium-level slightly pungent acidity, medium-level well-integrated tannin, a good, medium rich mouthfeel and very good length. A solid, medium-bodied, medium-complex, balanced Pinot Noir that showed good potential for further development over the next 5+ years. 89+
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7/24/2013 - Paul S wrote: 91 Points
Shared with Lionel and Rachel at our old haunt outside Bottles & Bottles. This wine has really come around from the since the bottle we carted back from South Africa four years ago. Tonight, it was a very good example of New World Pinot. It had a rather Burgundian nose in fact. Gone were the strange antiseptic and burnt rubber notes from its youth. In its place, there very old world earthy, meaty tones, but also a riper, sunnier expression of dark cherries sprinkled with lots of spice. Close your eyes though, and this could well be a young Burgundy from a ripe vintage with that bouquet. The palate was not to far from the Cote d'or either, with yummy dark cherries and berry flavours, a little bramble and spice, all couched in nice acidity and fine, well-structured tannins. This had really good depth and nice juicy balance all round, a decent finish too with a nice earthy ring to it. There was just a bit of sunny sweetness here, but otherwise this could easily be a decent 1er Cru. Still young, quite straightforward, but very nice. I am tempted to load up on a few bottles to see how they age in the coming 4-5 years.
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8/15/2012 - joet626 wrote: 86 Points
very disappointing. Barnyardy and no fruit. Not good
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8/5/2012 - ron m wrote:
I am just not digging this wine. It has decent enough components but the package is clumsy and disjointed.
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6/11/2012 - hkm520240 wrote: 90 Points
My Birthday celebration Tasting (Extra Space, Boon Keng): This has a contrasting colour to 2007 Delta Vineyard Pinot Noir Hatter's Hill, maturing colour with medium ruby colour and touch of bricking hues. Elegant but less expressive on the nose, aroma of red fruits, red cherry with hints of South Africa trademark smoky fruits. Very approachable and balance on palate, with red fruits and touch of smokiness in a nice and subtle way. South African wines tend to have the smokiness on the nose as well as palate and if that is not handle well it tend to show the burnt rubber smell and taste which is also commonly find in Pinotage. It has a very nice acidity leading to a medium finish and soft tannins. This bottle has developed well and drinking nicely now. It makes me believe that South Africa can also produce a good Pinot Noir.
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6/2/2012 - pinoteer wrote: 89 Points
PnVnD. Only open about 20 minutes before tasting. Fairly dark in color, at least compared to many of the Côte de Beaunes that I've been drinking. A little dirt and barnyardiness (just right) with some smoke and a bit of cherry. This will probably open up a little more as it warms up and airs. Tart cherries (good acidity) flavor and a smokey finish. Should pair well with the marinaded and grilled shrimp that I have planned.
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5/12/2012 - ToddR911 wrote: 87 Points
Light in color and body. Good cherries but not much else.
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3/31/2012 - jmbara wrote: 91 Points
Light color. Fresh, rich, fruity nose with a hint of leather. Nice acidity paired very well with za'atar spiced salmon. An excellent wine.
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3/9/2012 - 1512tnw Likes this wine: 91 Points
I liked this bottle more than the last. Decanted for around 2 hours, alcohol taste had blown off. No longer tannic. Still an usual pinot -- has the lightness, but not so much earth. Still too much cost for what it is, however.
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3/4/2012 - suganag3 wrote:
Damn. Corked.
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2/17/2012 - Oskar Nyman wrote: 86 Points
Tart cherry, smoke, earth & spices - underachieving bottle, has lost both nerve & structure.
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1/28/2012 - leonardo_de_araujo wrote: 91 Points
after 20 min of air time.
Nice brick colors with orange hues..
Sweet cherries, caramel, almost strawberries.
"En bouche" (palate), it brings a lot of Spices. At first try it was big on chocolate and coffee, but now after a few minutes it came better together.
Soft tannins.
spicy finish that is long on the nose fruits, keep opening.
it has a strong oak background but not overwhelming, very well integrated in the character of this wine. A solid Pinot, with a footprint.
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11/6/2011 - martcouz wrote: 90 Points
La finesse du Pinot et la typicité de l'Afrique du Sud en fait un vin vraiment charmeur. Délicieux!
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10/15/2011 - Kriz wrote: 92 Points
Stunning nose! Strawberry, roses, raspberries and suble wood. Lacking depth and on the palate less refined than on the nose but 95 for the nose and 89 for taste makes a 92 point wine. I can sniff this wine for hours.... lovely.
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9/28/2011 - ron m wrote:
Team gathering at work. Pretty good wine, but didn't do it for me. Nice marriage between old and new world, high pitched cherries, relatively restrained and earthy. My main problem with it was that the acidity was weirdly non integrated, making the wine shrill and somewhat disjointed. I wonder how the second bottle will fare with some age.
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9/22/2011 - G.M. wrote: 92 Points
Very earthy/savoury with strong mushroom notes. Nose didn’t reveal much initially (although developed quite nicely with time in glass), but palate was bursting with flavours and had decent length.
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9/6/2011 - cpsmith33 wrote: 88 Points
Solid Pinot. A bit too sweet/syrupy. Light to medium bodied. More earth and spice is what I like. Good cherry fruit. At $40 it's tough (conversion killing them). Nice in the mid 20's probably.
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8/7/2011 - Cellarson wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for 2 hours, which was good for the wine. The wine can still mature for another couople of years in the cellar. Drank with grilled lamb with lots of fresh herbs, which was a good combination with the wine. Much more fruity than a Pinot Noir from Bourgogne, 2007 which we drank at the same time for comparison. The lamb was served with a sallad of mushrooms.
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7/29/2011 - 1512tnw Likes this wine: 89 Points
Restrained fruit, but retains high alcohol impression, although just 13.5%. Not exactly earthy, but the flavor profile is lighter as a pinot. Decant, and could wait some more time in the cellar. This bottle cost $40, but while good I would not buy again at this high price. The strong rand won't help break into the US market.
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7/1/2011 - ToddR911 wrote: 88 Points
Not as good as last time I had it. This bottle was just average, nothing particularly memorable about it.
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5/29/2011 - martcouz wrote: 92 Points
Complètement différent de mon expérience précédent avec ce vin. Aromatique et exhubérant. Le boisé est charmeur est le tout est déja très bien intégré. Sans faille, sans équivoque! Bu après un mousseux. Le clou de la soirée! Wow !
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5/27/2011 - sfqwino wrote: 88 Points
Brownish colour, appearing much older than something from the 2007 vintage. Cherry fruit profile, some oak and a strong suggestion of roots and chinese medicine. Not detestable but not entirely likeable either.
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3/27/2011 - chad1616 wrote: 86 Points
classic south African smokiness with maybe a touch of brett? I found this wine interesting with food but neither complex or fruit filled enough to enjoy on its own.
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3/11/2011 - Highmountain Likes this wine: 89 Points
Light red color. Nose with earth, cherry kernels and cedar. Quite some acidity and sturdy tannins but well balanced. Medium long finish. A very good and well made Pinot. Does not have the elegance and complexity you find in old world pinots but it would be hard to find something as good as this for the same price from Bourgogne.
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12/19/2010 - mcook wrote: 90 Points
A very unique Pinot. Tart fruit that is well balanced with some earth and distinctive smokiness. Really enjoyed this
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12/10/2010 - MarkL wrote: 91 Points
No note take at the time. Very good. Perhaps a little young. Rest of bottle was still good after after 3 days in the fridge.
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12/9/2010 - martcouz wrote: 87 Points
Plus léger qu'espéré. Je sais, c'est un Pinot, mais il me semble que mon expérience précédente avec une version antérieure m'avait marquée davantage. Le côté "Afrique du Sud" (je me serais attendu à quelque chose de plus corsé) était peu perceptible. L'air lui a fait ressort un peu ses arômes, mais pas assez à mon goût.
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12/8/2010 - pjaines wrote:
There is a beefy, soy sauce edge to these Hamilton Russell Pinots that really need some time to stretch out and relax. This is probably a good 2-3 years from being ready but even now you get beef, mint, spices and red earth. Good but will improve
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12/4/2010 - kwaky Likes this wine: 92 Points
Light red, fruity spice nose. Nicely smooth for the youth. Slight sweetness on the palate. A good drink, maybe a couple of years to really show its best.
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11/20/2010 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very enjoyable bottle of Pinot. Enjoyed with Silver Salmon. the wine was fruity, fresh and bright with good balance and acidity. Happy to have a few more.
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11/14/2010 - WinoRick wrote: 88 Points
Medium bodied with cherry and mixed dark fruit. A friend tasting it said it needs a dollup of limestone.
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10/23/2010 - leonardo_de_araujo Likes this wine: 92 Points
2007
93 pts WS
Dark cherries, sour cherries.
Tabac
nice acidity.
very earthy. Went very nice with our mushrooms pasta dinner
very interesting. Much closer to France than US...
92 pts
45 CAD
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10/21/2010 - Jona wrote: 89 Points
A very minty nose with a cool and fresh tones. Nuanced spices, red berries and evident south african smoke...
Barely medium bodied with a soft beginning and a tense finish. Light oak.
Too minty and strange body, but good taste. Very special PN. Try it.
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10/3/2010 - Cellarson wrote: 90 Points
Still young with a potential to mature nicely over 3-4 years. After having read the CT we decanted the wine for two hours before drinking, which we believe was good for the wine. We drank with breast of duck and a mushroom lasagne, which was an excellent combination. The wine was well balanced with a sweet and mineral like smell and sweet marmalade of strawberries on the palate. Looking forward to see how this wine will mature in the cellar.
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9/26/2010 - heegaard wrote: 89 Points
Expected to improve over the years. It was not fully opened yet.
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8/30/2010 - ScottGoodwin Likes this wine: 92 Points
I sure wished I read the CT notes BEFORE I started drinking this wine. Holy mackeral did this start out smokey!! Almost bacon-like. Not recognizable as Pinot Noir to me. Smelled and tasted like Liquid Smoke. Tart unripened fruit. Vegetal, leafy element. Verging on undrinkable.
Day 3 - what a comeback!! This is like the '86 Mets (sorry Sox fans). A TOTALLY different wine now. Nose has leafy mintiness, earth with raspberry and cranberries. Totally balanced on the palate. Definitely no fruit bomb here. Old World style. Great finish!
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8/21/2010 - markandsusanw wrote: 87 Points
Popped and poured through Vinturi ... Very earthy, funky nose (big time funk!) ... Crisp and light with first taste out of the bottle; a little tart (acidic) ... Better balanced and deeper with a nice spicy edge after an hour or so in the glass. Stronger with food and paired well with grilled pork tenderloin.
Decent Pinot but, for the money, I guess I expected more. I've had bottles at almost half this price point (approx. $38) that are just as good, if not better. Would not buy again.
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8/4/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
That smarmy BBQ sweat thing is easing out nicely into more Oregano and dense herbs. The palate has taken on a little weight, but the acid remains high. Certainly world class at $40.
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7/22/2010 - pmilne wrote: 91 Points
Enjoyed by all, Pinot lovers and non-lovers. Very different from most, as its a little more subtle on its delivery. A little more earthy than your usual Pinot. Very nice mouthfeel and finish.
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7/11/2010 - toeswest Likes this wine: 88 Points
This was my first Pinot from South Africa. After decorking, the nose was nothing but the terroir. I have never tasted anything as earthy ... it was like a handful of dirt. Allowed to breathe for 45 minutes and the fruit began to appear. Berries of all types .... a nice wine after all.
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6/29/2010 - TwoSmoochies wrote: 89 Points
Lots of barnyard in the nose with a very nice pinot finish. A medium bodied pinot.
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6/19/2010 - M.Batard wrote: 92 Points
Hamilton Russell night with Jeremy and Alison. Opened the 07 and 08 together, but the 07 pinot was the star of the evening (including the 06 chardonnay). More development here than the 08 could muster, and the 'hounds were baying for more.
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5/9/2010 - Pokkstar wrote: 90 Points
Civet and leather on the nose, soft fruit on the palate
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4/20/2010 - WinoRick wrote: 90 Points
Out of six that I bought, three consumed... 90-91 each time. A good Burgundy sub!... at almost half the price.
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3/18/2010 - marinelli wrote: 87 Points
wasn't as balanced as I like my pinots. not much fruit but heavy smoke
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3/12/2010 - Pinot Evil wrote: 92 Points
Less fruit than a California Pinot but a rich complex smoky finish.
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3/8/2010 - GARDEN wrote: 90 Points
Night 1 = It started out tart. (89) It was beginning to pull together and become more complex by the end of the meal. I would recommend holding off a little longer...Night 2 = 90, Night 3 = 91
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3/7/2010 - belfast taxman wrote: 91 Points
Good meaty flavours backed with solid balance of fruit, alcohol and acidity - still youthful but drank well straight from the bottle with roast duck
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3/1/2010 - GregGH wrote: 92 Points
this is our 2nd bottle -- this is really good 'funky' PN ... not your cheery pop type ....love this wine
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2/23/2010 - rremiker wrote: 85 Points
Very unusual wine, didn't care for this at first, a strange taste and smell out of the bottle. After an hour it really changed and was a joy to consume.
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1/31/2010 - rmalloy wrote: 93 Points
Exceptional. This is the best South African wine I've ever had. The flavor spectrum ran the gamut: intense cherries and smoked meat, mint, light baking spices, brilliant minerality and acidity, light licorice and vanilla from the oak, and silky tannins that I didn't notice until I began writing this review. The smoked meat note dissipated over time--I would not decant this wine. It doesn't seem like this wine will be long-lived. Maybe it could get slightly better with some short bottle aging, but I would drink it now. At $31, an excellent buy. 93.
Edit: Actually, later today, the racy smoked meat notes are still strong and this wine is drinking wonderfully. Either my senses got saturated earlier today or these notes are less prominent at warmer temperatures. I'm also picking up a little more herbaceousness. This is the most interesting wine I've had in quite a while.
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1/12/2010 - JDRFoster wrote: 90 Points
Decanted and consumed over an evening. Very enjoyable, improving with some air time. Still young.
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12/2/2009 - J-Sho wrote: 88 Points
Medium garnet color. Nose with lots of wet earth, cola, and black tea. Just a bit of black cherry and cedar. However, Spectator hit it on the head with BRAMBLE. This thing reeks of bramble -- so if you like that sort of thing, this wine will please you. One the palate it is moderately complex with some upfront acidity but overall well balanced. Moderate finish. Moved up a point since last tasting as I can see the interesting nose and moderate complexity but just didn't get much enjoyment out of it.
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11/13/2009 - J-Sho wrote: 87 Points
Loads of earth and smoke on this one. Some dark fruit in there with moderate complexity. Not really my cup of tea but we'll see how the next one is.
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5/15/2009 - tplskylrk wrote:
TWATS VI (Clive's Crib): Translucent pink/red, strawberry. A little bit ass on the nose, fish. Smoky. Up front, light, bit of acid over the vegetable herb thing it’s got going. Good summer wine chilled.
Clive - #6
Last sip Pre Skirt lifting – Acid gone. Full mouth feel.
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4/2/2009 - dmbull wrote: 90 Points
For a complimentary bottle from a hotel in Joburg I wasnt expecting much but I loved this wine. Its pretty robust, smooth and well structured. Cherry comes through with smoky & vegatal flavours.
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1/14/2009 - Alex H wrote: 81 Points
At first, extremely burnt rubber and dettol like which reminded me of a hospital ward. Subsequently, the fruits started to reveal itself with more cherries that got plumpier with time. It gained some gevry-like woodsy earthy characteristics and a few undertones of vosne-type spices of cloves. The woodspice made it increasingly more palatable and enjoyable as compared to the start when it felt very imbalanced and flawed. A strange experience of a backward to forward wine.
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1/14/2009 - Paul S wrote: 90 Points
Lunch @ Bistro Senso (Singapore Flyer): What a really strange wine - it opened with a really high-toned nose, I got tangerine, cherry, fresh mushroom, oaky vanilla. All rather charming, but with just a bit of antiseptic, rubber-glove like smells underlying all the nicer tones. The palate was really disturbing though, just overwhelmingly tasting of burnt rubber, that most mythical of South African red wine flaws. I found little of it through the many bottles that we tasted when in SA recently, but this was replete with charred rubber - quite horribly so in fact. Other than that, some heat. Fine but grippy tannins. Some Dark cherry. Meaty, powerful wine, but just so very rubbery. After an hour though, the rubber began to blow off, and the wine took on more power and a lot more primary, but rather clean and fresh cherry flavours. I left the bottle aside for a day, and it was positively yummy when I got back to it. Lots and lots of fresh dark cherries now. Still a bit of heat, a little simple on the nose, slightly short finish, but plump cherries and then plums all round and a touch of ferrous mineral and spice, all held up by fresh acid and a nice sense of structure - actually rather enjoyable.
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