2010 Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir Walker Bay

95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The sublime 2010 Pinot Noir is aged for 10 months in oak, of which 44% was new and the remainder used. It has a ripe bouquet of redcurrant, strawberry and Morello that shows no signs of under-ripeness that Hamilton’s Pinots occasionally exhibit due to leaf-roll. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe fleshy redcurrant and cranberry fruit that is underpinned by extremely fine tannins. This has wonderful build in the mouth and the finish is exuberant, almost feisty! This is an audacious Pinot Noir from one of South Africa’s top estates. Drink now-2020. Bravo to Hamilton Russell, who have produced an outstanding Pinot Noir in 2010, one of the finest New World expressions of the grape variety that I have encountered. When Hamilton Russell gets it right, they hit bullseye. (12/ 2012)