Hamilton Russell Pinot Noirs: 1981 to 2021

Outside Burgundy, Hamilton Russell Vineyards is one of the leading producers of cooler-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Situated in the strongly maritime influenced and beautiful Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, this is one of South Africa’s most southerly wineries and one which continues to adapt and evolve.

The recent launch of Hamilton Russell’s 2021 wines was an opportunity to taste back 40 years to the first vintage made by the late Tim Hamilton Russell, father of the current owner, Anthony.

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores of seven Hamilton Russell Pinot Noirs back to 1981 – plus new releases

1981 was the winery’s first vintage of Pinot Noir – a year famous in the UK for Prince Charles and Lady Di’s wedding, Botham’s Ashes victory, and riots in Brixton and Toxteth. Unsurprisingly, the 1981 (then called Grand Vine Noir) feels like a wine from a previous age but it is still drinking well – a testament to the quality at this estate.

In discussion with Anthony Hamilton Russell, I was keen to understand how the style of wine has altered. He explained that 2021 was his 31st vintage and declared that although ‘the wines have changed stylistically over time, that is nothing to be ashamed of’.

A tasting with he and wife Olive, organised by their importers Mentzendorff, illustrated how the wines have varied in vine age, clonal selection, weight of fruit and use of oak.

Hamilton Russell described the wines from the ’80s as ‘like vintage cars – leaking oil and showing their age’, and those from the early 2000s being riper and fuller – more of a ‘New World’ style. To my palate, the most recent vintages have great elegance, purity and focus, and seem to be effortlessly achieving what Tim and Anthony have been striving for for more than five decades.

Hamilton Russell is a leading advocate for his corner of South Africa’s Cape South Coast region and has been a key driver in establishing delimited zones within the greater Hemel-en-Aarde area, where different soils types and distance from the sea give an alternative style of Pinot and Chardonnay.

Working closely with David Johnson of Newton Johnson they lobbied to have their Walker Bay wine ward (like a sub-appellation) promoted to a wine district (a full appellation). This was approved in 2004, enabling the process of demarcating new wards within Walker Bay.

The Hemel-en-Aarde wards

Hamilton Russell Vineyards lies in the geographically lower ward of Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, while Newton Johnson (along with Restless River and Storm) is in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. In 2009 the final area (Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge) was established – the key producers here are Ataraxia, Creation and Mount Babylon.

Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge is the highest in altitude of the three wards, with the greatest diurnal variation and soils dominated by clay and Bokkeveld Shale. Hamilton Russell believes this gives the wines ‘slightly firmer structure with fruit profile tending more towards blue fruit’.

Upper Hemel-en-Aarde lies in the middle, with lighter soils of very old decomposed granite and sandstone. Hamilton Russell sees the wines as ‘the least muscular, most fruit forward with a lifted profile and marked mineral elegance’.

Hamilton Russell Vineyards is closest to the cooling effects of the sea, with vines planted on low-vigour clay- and iron-rich soils formed on 400-million-year-old Bokkeveld Shale. The clay content here (35%-55%) is similar to the Côte de Nuits. Along with Bouchard Finlayson, also in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Hamilton Russell Pinot’s have a darker, spicier fruit character and tend to be less fruit-forward.

In addition to the estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Hamilton Russell continues to improve the quality of its other labels – Southern Right (Sauvignon Blanc and Pinotage) and Ashbourne (Sandstone white blend and Pinotage).

What seems certain is that whatever the wine, consumers will find the same elegance and finesse across the range. These are wines to savour.

Hamilton Russell Pinot Noirs: 1981 to 2021

Related content

Hamilton Russell Vineyards: producer profile

South African Sauvignon Blanc: 10 top producers to know

South African Pinotage: panel tasting results

Agulhas Wine Triangle: South Africa’s southernmost wines