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Chardonnay

A tight, mineral wine with classic Hamilton Russell Vineyards length and complexity. Prominent pear and lime fruit aromas and flavours are brought beautifully into focus by a tight line of bright natural acid and a long, dry minerality. An elegant, yet textured and intense wine with a strong personality of both place and vintage.

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Latest vintage available online via Port2Port.

  • Soil: Low-vigour, stony, clay-rich, shale-derived soil

 

  • Alcohol: 13.20%
  • Acid: 6.40 g/l
  • pH: 3.36
  • Residual Sugar: 2.00 g/l

 

  • Barrel Ageing: 9 Months

 

  • Wooding: 40% 300 litre, 56% 228 litre French Oak Barrels
  • Barrel Fermentation: 100%
  • Foudre: 4%
  • Tight Grain: 100%

 

  • 1st fill: 23%
  • 2nd fill: 17%
  • 3rd fill: 17%
  • 4th fill: 43%

 

  • Hamilton Russell Vineyards Toast

 

  • French Coopers: Francois Freres 100%

 

  • Yield: 3.87 tons/ha, 23.22 hl/ha
  • Production: 5500 cases of 12 bottles equivalent

 

  • Release date – January 2023

 

  • Vegan Friendly

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Views on the vintage

Growing Season

The timing of our 2022 harvest was similar to 2021, but a touch later than average, and our average of the maximum temperatures for the 4 crucial months leading up to and during harvest was 25.18 centigrade, higher than our long-term average of 24.63 centigrade and higher than 2021. While ripening was slow and extended, harvest was fortunately complete before the first rains in early March. The preceding Winter was our wettest in 24 years and was followed by a slightly wetter than average bud break to veraison period, but with an unusually (and usefully) dry September facilitating healthy, even budding. Apart from cold, wet, early season clay-rich soils inhibiting shoot growth, and a few late season heat spikes creating the potential for sunburn, the vintage proceeded smoothly and delivered beautiful, pure, generously textured wines. Yields, as always, were low, with Chardonnay coming in at 3,87t/ha (24hl/ha) and Pinot noir at 2,49t/ha (16,18hl/ha).

95 Points - Tim Atkin MW South Africa 2023 Special Report

95 Tim Atkin MW, South Africa 2023 Special Report

Ever the class act, Hamilton Russell's Chardonnay is in a rich vein of form right now. Using only 5% malolactic because of the warmer year, this is fresh, layered and detailed, with perfumed 23% new wood, notes of brioche and lemon butter and a stylish, stony finish. Concentrated without being heavy in any way.

Jonathan Ray, The Spectator, March 2023

So if you’re interested in nabbing the finest Chardonnay and Pinot in all the Cape, then get your blooming skates on. And that’s no hyperbole: the 2021 HRV Chardonnay was named Chardonnay of the Year and awarded five stars in 2023 Platter’s by Diners Club South African Wine Guide. The 2022 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay is a worthy successor to said wine, full of citrus, white peach and just a hint of buttery toast. It’s concentrated and restrained and while hard to resist now, it’ll blossom into something truly majestic.

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