A good winter chill was followed by a relatively cool wet spring with particularly heavy rainfall in November, causing some challenges with disease control and contributing to lower yields by interfering with flowering. Nature redeemed itself with sunny dry weather during harvest. A higher than usual number of sunshine days did not result in excessive heat and 2009 was a cooler vintage than average – but not too cool. The grapes of 2009 were characterized by high acidity, low pH, excellent colour, prominent fruit perfume and wonderful tannin. This is a top vintage.

Hamilton Russell Vineyards - the most southerly wine estate in Africa and the closest to the sea - is located in the cool, maritime Walker Bay wine appellation, in a beautiful valley behind the old fishing village of Hermanus. The estate specializes in producing highly individual, terroir driven Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which are widely regarded as the best in South Africa and among the best in the New World.

Founder, Tim Hamilton Russell purchased the undeveloped 170 hectare property in 1975, after an exhaustive search for the most southerly site on which to make South Africa’s top cool climate wines from a selection of noble varieties. His son Anthony, who took over in 1991, narrowed the range to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay only and registered Hamilton Russell Vineyards as an Estate, committing to work only with grapes from their terroir. Extensive soil research initiated in 1994 identified 52 hectares of stony, clay-rich, shale-derived soil as optimal for the individual, origin expressive style they aim for and all plantings have now been limited to this soil type