Chardonnay 1.5L

Perfect with light and delicate food such as raw and lightly cooked shellfish like crab and prawn.

The 2021 growing season had its challenges, with a fair amount of rain before the grapes started to ripen. This did not have a negative effect, as the vines received natural irrigation, which helped decrease the effect of water stress levels, allowing optimal functionality for the ripening period. Significantly more cold units were accumulated in the early winter versus the previous season: imperative for breaking dormancy. Lower winter rainfall occurred than in the previous season, but it was still sufficient to replenish soil profiles. The vineyards had even budburst, and the initial growth too was even, mainly due to higher-than-normal minimum and maximum temperatures during September. Grape quality was very favourable, leading to an exceptional vintage.

6 months, old oak

Tesselaarsdal was founded in 2015 by long-standing Hamilton Russell Vineyards employee Berene Sauls. This wine is named after the historic Overberg farming hamlet of Tesselaarsdal not far from the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge wine appellation in which Berene was born – a descendant of the freed slaves who were bequeathed the land by former East India Company settler Johannes Tesselaar in 1810. Extreme care is taken to ensure this small-production classically styled Pinot noir expresses the personality of the cool maritime Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge from un-irrigated vines and its elevated stony clay and iron-rich soils.