2015 Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir

The 2015 Pinot Noir has an attractive bouquet with brambly red fruit and briar with a touch of mint, just occluded by some oak with aeration. The palate is balanced with simple raspberry fruit, though it feels just a little short and monotone on the finish. It has lasted the course and gains a bit of weight with time in the glass, prompting me to raise my score, though I have encountered better vintages. Tasted blind at the 10-Year-On horizontal in London.

(14% alcohol; 42% new oak): Bright medium red. Sweet scents of cherry, redcurrant, raspberry and spices. Juicy, sharply delineated red cherry and red berry flavors show more texture than the 2016 but less soil complexity. This is richer, sweet, fruitier and deeper, and its soil character, saline minerality and complexity will emerge with time in the cellar. Finishes firm and very long, with sweet, integrated tannins and perfectly harmonious framing acidity. South African Pinot does not get better than this.

The 2015 Pinot Noir offers attractive red cherry and bergamot tea-like scents on the well-defined bouquet, that "foxy" note on the 2014 fortunately not in evidence here. The palate is fresh and crisp on the entry, vivid red cherry and raspberry fruit, a fine silver bead of acidity, the 40% new oak neatly embroidered into the fabric of the wine. I like the symmetry here, the warmth of the growing season really benefiting the style of this Pinot Noir. Back on form after the 2014.