Tesselaarsdal Pinot Noir 2020

The low-vigour, stony, clay-rich soil, cool maritime mesoclimate, naturally tiny yields of well under 35 hl/ha and Hamilton Russell's philosophy of expressing the terroir in wines – give rise to a certain tightness, tannin line and elevated length to balance the richness and generosity of our Pinot noir.The Pinot noir is not overtly fruity, soft and "sweet" and it generally shows hints of that alluring savoury "primal" character along with a dark, spicy, complex primary fruit perfume.

Pale ruby with a slight watery edge, the 2019 Pinot Noir offers aromas of wild strawberry with tones of tart cherry, cranberry and a soft herbal note, similar to laurel and sage. Medium-bodied and with 13% alcohol, the wine is bright with mouthwatering acidity and flavors of red cherry skin, rhubarb and subtle oak spices that present themselves along with a delicate, underlying herbaceous character. It ends with a lingering finish. The wine was raised in 228-liter French oak barrels for almost 10 months before being bottled. 3,924 bottles produced.