Visiting the cool, maritime Hemel-en-Aarde Valley appellation in Hermanus should be on every wine lover’s regular to-do list.

Poised in one of the most southerly wine regions of South Africa and one of the closest to the sea, Hamilton Russell has pioneered Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for South Africa, and their wines are regarded among the finest globally.

The elegance of the wines is personified in the proprietors of the Estate, a power couple that stands tall when they present the wines at many shows and tastings I have attended. Anthony is always suavely dressed in a timeless coat, lifting his hat in an old-worldly fashion to greet visitors warmly. By his side is Olive, always graceful and eloquent when she shares her love and commitment for their brand. And the dogs, a pack of children-like wolves circling their owners in all shapes and sizes before draping themselves over a couch. Yes, you’ve guessed it – you will always take the memory of a warm and authentic experience home with you.



Most southerly site - top cool climate wines.

Founder, Tim Hamilton Russell, purchased the undeveloped 170-hectare property in 1975 after an exhaustive search for the most southerly site to produce top cool climate wines.



Narrowed the range to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay only

Anthony Hamilton Russell took over from his father in 1991, bought the property in 1994, narrowed the range to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay only, and registered Hamilton Russell Vineyards as an Estate.



Dedicated to expressing the personality of the Hamilton Russell Vineyards

With his wife Olive, winemaker Emul Ross and viticulturist Johan Montgomery, Anthony is dedicated to expressing the personality of the Hamilton Russell Vineyards terroir in site-specific, estate grown Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

95 POINTS Andrew Howard MW, Decanter

“Showing just a hint of reduction, this is a lovely Chardonnay that takes me back to the Burgundy 2018 en-primeur week in January. Côte de Beaune-like on the nose, with restrained notes of orange box and stoned fruits. This has great focus and grip on the palate, and although there is plenty of weight and fleshiness, the prominent acidity keeps all the elements in perfect balance. Perhaps a bit more Corton-Charlemagne than Meursault, this is a very fine, top-class, Chardonnay.”

MATCHMAKING SEARED TUNA, BONE-MARROW, SALSA-VERDE, AND BLISTERED TOMATOES WITH HAMILTON-RUSSELL CHARDONNAY 2018

When we select fresh tuna as the star attraction of our tasting experience, we don’t treat it like a fish. Its meaty flesh welcomes rich Chardonnays and aromatic red wines like Grenache and Pinot Noir.
If seared with just enough char adding a grainy texture on the outside, the velvety texture of the tuna will compliment the richness of a stately Chardonnay.
For an extra meaty experience, we replace the olive oil with oven-roasted bone marrow to add a fattiness that highlights the acidity of the wine and accentuates the delicate nuances of citrus.
As we treat the tuna as meat instead of fish, we don’t add too much lemon juice. The Hamilton-Russell Chardonnay 2018 has spent just the right amount of time in the bottle to exude that outstanding balance of acidity, fruit, and oak that you don’t want to disturb.
A light homemade salsa verde sauce adds a savoury gloss to the overall experience and somehow manages to meander with the nuances of the wine, adding a coolness from the mint, saltiness from the capers that will echo the briny note in the wine.

Salsa Verde Recipe

We have religiously used this green sauce recipe from Jamie Oliver, and it is also easy to freeze if your herb garden is blooming and you are in a choppy mood. The best is to make it from scratch.

Ingredients

1½-2 cloves garlic

2 big handfuls of fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 bunch of fresh basil

1 handful of fresh mint

1 small handful of capers

1 small handful of gherkins (we left this out)

6 quality anchovy fillets

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Method

Peel the garlic and pick the herb leaves. Finely chop them on a large board with the capers, gherkins, and anchovies. Place in a bowl, add the mustard and vinegar, then slowly stir in the oil until you achieve the right consistency. Balance the flavours with black pepper and a bit of sea salt.

Our Experience

Utterly spoiled with access to fresh tuna in season, we always have a wine in mind when we ask the fishmonger to cut two thick and silky portions of this fish. Of course, it will be sacrilege to chop up sushi-grade tuna, but when you shape your tuna fillets to size at home, here is a tip for the offcuts that will pair beautifully with your Chardonnay. Don’t fret about measurements or plating it up; this will just be a little snack for you and your partner.

Chop the pieces up and put them in a medium bowl. Add some sunflower seeds, a squeeze of lemon, and a pinch of its zest. Slice a piece of chevin goat’s cheese and blend with buttermilk. Add a drizzle of olive oil for a medium running consistency to act as a dressing. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour a glass of the Chardonnay, hand your loved one a spoonful of tuna and the sauce, and watch the reaction!

Hamilton Russell Chardonnay epitomizes the goal of creating a wine worthy of praise. And yes, South Africa has produced some smart Chardonnays from different regions. Still, it takes some doing to hone in on two varietals and reach the objective of placing them both on an international pedestal. Extensive soil research has gone into this Walker Bay property that identified the stony, clay-rich shale-derived soil on which these wines are flourishing today.

It is always an experience tasting the Hamilton Russell wines. They demand attention and take you on a journey into the heart of the wine and into your own vocabulary of tasting perceptions. But, of course, you always look for quality first. Still, when that realization is met with a familiar taste or aroma, a wine can evoke a fond memory of a specific day you walked at the beach at low tide or hiked the mountains just as the mist pulled in.

The richer your aroma experience, the more the wine in front of you will come to life. The Hamilton Russell Chardonnay has a medium lemon colour, indicating some oak or age, but when you sink your nose into the glass, you are invited into an orchard of just-ripe stone fruit. Aromas of peeled celery, green pineapple, and crushed hazelnuts coil around a core of riper kumquat and blood orange.

Once you taste the wine, the vivid acidity carves more layers, introducing a salty charcuterie and truffle earthiness.

When you understand how the salsa verde and roasted tomatoes join forces with the acidity, you will also enjoy how it reintroduces the initial fruit and floral notes.

The bone marrow adds a delicious twist and extra layer of viscosity, coating your mouth for some relief from the pithy undertone. The silkiness of the fish will ramp up all these sensations, and as the wine evolves in the glass, your senses can revel in warmer notes of lemon curd, chamomile, and flaky pastry. Throughout the experience, the acidity remains the golden thread, running parallel with the minerality that a classic Chardonnay is loved for. As the initial austerity of the wine dissipates, revealing a ying-yang dimension once the food is introduced, you will become aware of the wine’s length and intensity as it takes the final bow.