Terroir-istes Local - Chardonnay, 2012 Vintage and Hamilton Russell Vertical

A tasting split. into two parts. The first 4 wines are all from the 2012 vintage and feature 4 different areas. The second and third parts are a Hamilton Russell Vertical

• 2012 Crystallum Chardonnay Clay Shales 90 Points

  South Africa, Cape South Coast, Walker Bay, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley

  (Tasted Blind): Mid-yellow, showing some age. Aromas of creamed honey, toffee, and some cardboard were used at first. However, this blows off to reveal button mushroom and hints of lime and lemon. The palate improves with a fresh, vibrant acidity and, despite showing tertiary notes, is showing reasonably well. Relatively grippy in the mid-palate, there are flavours of lemon meringue pie, creme fraiche, wheatgerm, and subtle toast with a hint of mineral content, confirming a cooler climate. Long finish.

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• 2012 Chamonix Chardonnay Reserve 79 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Franschhoek Valley

  (Tasted Blind): It has a slightly maderised nose with sour cream and a hint of wet cardboard. However, it isn't corked and seemed to instead show too much-caramelised sugar crust on a crème brulee, burnt toast and orange marmalade. It is a little flabby too, with a short finish. Seen better days.

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• 2012 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay 90 Points

  South Africa, Cape South Coast, Walker Bay, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley

  (Tasted Blind): It is pale yellow in colour. There was some initial dishcloth before revealing fresh herbs (mint?), smoke, a struck match, wet stones, and light sweet spices.Fairly intense entry with a vibrant acidity; a creamy almost oily texture and a touch of lactic notes from MLF. I also picked up some chemical nuances, like polystyrene, but again these slowly morphed to the more pleasant white peach, grapefruit and Forelle pear with a dusting of spices. I found the wine had a sour lemon/lime note that gave a little further complexity, and it finished reasonably long, yet it appeared to some in the group slightly dressed up with expensive oak.

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• 2012 Richard Kershaw Wines Chardonnay Clonal Selection Elgin

  South Africa, Cape South Coast, Elgin

  (Tasted Blind): Pale yellow colour; the nose seems refined with ripe citrus, acacia blossom and some flowers yet with a hint of tropical fruit. The palate has a vibrant, crunchy acidity, youth and a soft, creamy palate. Elegant, poised with the fragrant flowers flowing throughout, the wine, closes long with a zesty lemon and a pithy back-palate. Linear shape.
  No score as conflict of interest.

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• 2011 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay 82 Points

  South Africa, Cape South Coast, Walker Bay, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley

  (Tasted Blind): Pale yellow colour. The nose reveals slightly aged characters, and the palate shows a similar crème brûlée burnt caramel and creamed honey. However, this wine did have remnants of poached pear, semi-moldy yellow cling peach, a lively, if protruding acidity, fairly noted oak and a fleshy mid-palate that gave width. But it is past its prime and finishes hot like a chilli pepper with a phenolic twist.

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• 2010 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay 83 Points

  South Africa, Cape South Coast, Walker Bay, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley

  (Tasted Blind): Pale yellow colour. Toasty aromas with orange peel and baked apple. Again a little developed. The palate feels tired with a chalky acid but diminished fruit and a rising nuttiness with some bruised apple, caramel and toffee. touch saline on exit.

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• 2009 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay 91 Points

  South Africa, Cape South Coast, Walker Bay, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley

  (Tasted Blind): Pale yellow in colour, the aromas are far more youthful, with so many tropical fruits, citrus, and hazelnuts. This lovely, vibrant entry shows poise with its backbone of fresh acidity, some richness to the mid-palate, and flavours of lime, Valencia orange, grilled pineapple, and light toast. It finishes with a sweet and sour quality, oak elements, and a minerally edge.

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• 2006 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay 85 Points

  South Africa, Cape South Coast, Walker Bay

  (Tasted Blind): Deep yellow-gold colour. The nose shows noted evolution with tertiary fruit development but remains in check. On the palate, it retains vibrancy and good acidity yet with minimal fruit - lemon and lime peel, mineral.

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• 2003 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay 88 Points

  South Africa, Cape South Coast, Walker Bay

  (Tasted Blind): Deep golden-yellow colour. Evolved notes with tertiary fruits, some orange peel in syrup, stone fruit, creamed honey and hazulnuts.
  It has quite a juicy palate, and there is a lively acid streak that just about works with its tinned pineapple segments in syrup, touch of oak and fleshy mid-palate. Whilst fading, the wine was clearly smart in its day.

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• 2000 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay 83 Points

  South Africa, Cape South Coast, Walker Bay

  (Tasted Blind): Deep yellow to golden colour, the bouquet shows evolution with wet stone, smoke and damp chalk notes. The palate appears tired with honey-coated fruit, orange segments, and bruised apple flavours set against a strident rising acidity. Just tipped over the edge - pity!

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