Pinot Noir

Grilled Norwegian salmon with a soy ginger sauce, mushroom risotto, guinea fowl pie.

A very challenging 2023 harvest, but thankfully with all grapes in before the rains in March, This did not have a negative effect as the vines received natural irrigation which helped decrease the effect of water stress levels on the vines allowing them to function better and allow optimal functionality for the ripening period. The vineyards had even budburst and the initial growth was also even, mainly due to higher than normal maximum and minimum temperatures during September. Grape quality was very favourable leading to an exceptional vintage. The Season's length, coolness and reduced yields have made for a great quality harvest.

9.5 months - 100% 228L French Oak Barrels 1st fill: 26% 2nd fill: 26% 3rd fill: 21% 4th fill: 27%.

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.