I just cracked open a bottle of a fantastic Pinot Noir from South Africa. Tracy gave it to me for Christmas, and the bottle was so beautiful and heavy I stored it away like a big old rock, thinking I'd keep it for quite a long time. But then, a few days ago, I received a piece of particularly good news and wanted to celebrate. So I dug out the bottle and drew the cork.
2008 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Hemel-En-Aarde Valley ($42)
The color is classic Pinot, brilliant and clear with lots of room for the light to get in. The aroma is rich, with tons of loam and even some sweet stuff, like red ripe cherries. Very earthy and vegetal and woody. One thing I love about this wine is the way it stabilizes on the tongue, and moves very little. There are no swells of flavor that come and go. Rather, the wine enters the mouth fully formed and just pauses there, more composed than you are, until you decide to swallow it at last. Afterward, for a few moments, there's an echo that reverberates in the palate and eventually singes off. This is simply fantastic, special wine. I can't say I've really had better Pinot Noir than this in my life . . .
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