DESCRIPTION:
Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay 2024 is an estate-grown Chardonnay from the cool maritime Hemel-en-Aarde Valley near Hermanus. The vintage produced exceptionally low yields following severe wind and rain during flowering, resulting in a concentrated wine with notable freshness and fruit purity. The wine was 100% barrel fermented in 300-litre François Frères French oak barrels and matured for 9 months, using 28% first-fill, 27% second-fill, 28% third-fill and 17% older oak. Bottled at 12.92% ABV in a 750ml bottle, with production limited to approximately 2,945 twelve-bottle cases. Hamilton Russell Vineyards

TASTING NOTES

Nose: Fresh and precise, with prominent pear and lime alongside delicate citrus, white fruit and subtle oak-derived complexity. Hamilton Russell Vineyards

Palate: Elegant yet concentrated, with ripe pear and citrus fruit framed by bright natural acidity. Fine texture and restrained French oak are balanced by the wine's characteristic dry mineral character.

Finish: Long, focused and dry, with persistent lime, bright acidity and a pronounced mineral character.

Hamilton Russell Vineyards – one of the most southerly wine estates in Africa and one of the closest to the sea – pioneered viticulture and winemaking in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley appellation just behind the old fishing village of Hermanus. The Estate specialises in producing highly individual terroir driven Pinot Noir and Chardonnay which are widely regarded as the best in South Africa and among the finest in the New World.