South Africa: New releases

Comes from the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, at 150m elevation and just 1.4km from the sea, and a north facing site. This is the warmest site Hannes works. Very Burgundian. Lots of intense fruit, intense and peachy, with plenty of vibrant acidity and a long, textured finish. There’s beautiful detailing, and a complex but nicely rich finish.

The Ridge vineyard is the youngest vineyard Hannes works with, from the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge ward. Here there are the same soils as in Vrede, but with an east-facing slope, and at 330m above sea level, the wine is much cooler and more savoury, with the harvest undertaken some 25 days later. Much cooler than the Vrede in style, there’s ripe golden delicious, plenty of salinity, and an orange blossom character that comes across on the finish. This is Chassagne to Vrede’s Meursault.

Comes from the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, at 150m elevation and just 1.4km from the sea, and a north facing site. This is the warmest site Hannes works. Rather more fruit forward, and there’s a floral note to this, alongside incredibly depth on the palate. Rose petal and wild strawberries, and beautiful tannic structure. This is playful yet sophisticated Pinot.

Ignis Pinot Noir is from the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, and is 2km further inland, and 100m higher in elevation. Here the soil is totally different, with plenty of quartz, decomposed granite, and just enough clay to give a textured element. It’s the most perfumed, fragrant of Hannes’ wines. Blood orange on the nose, with dark cherries, and pomegranate seeds. There’s an intensity to the palate: this is very bright and energetic, but with richness to the core of fruit. The finish is chiselled, and there’s a breadth to the tannins. Very long and ferrous.

The Ridge vineyard is the youngest vineyard Hannes works with, from the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge ward. Here there are the same soils as in Vrede, but with an east-facing slope, and at 330m above sea level, the wine is much cooler and more savoury, with the harvest undertaken some 25 days later. Plenty of cool berry fruit on the nose here, with a hint of pomegranate, and then a smoky, mineral character on the palate. The tannins are very fine, and the finish is long and floral.