Meet the Vintner : Anthony Hamilton Russell from South Africa

One of the most southerly wine estates in Africa, this Pinot Noir and Chardonnay specialist pioneered viticulture in the beautiful, cool, maritime, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley appellation behind the ancient fishing village of Hermanus. Hamilton Russell Vineyards specializes in producing highly individual, terroir-driven Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which are widely regarded as the best in South Africa and among the finest in the New World. Founder, Tim Hamilton Russell, purchased the undeveloped 170 hectare property in 1975, after an exhaustive search for the most southerly site on which to make South Africa’s top cool climate wines from a selection of noble varieties. His son, Anthony Hamilton Russell, who took over in 1991 (finally buying the property in 1994), narrowed the range to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay only and registered Hamilton Russell Vineyards as an Estate, committing to work only with grapes from their terroir.

“We are not so much using Hamilton Russell Vineyards to make Pinot noir and Chardonnay as we are using Pinot noir and Chardonnay to express the beauty and personality of Hamilton Russell Vineyards. Our terroir, in effect, "chose" these varieties as its most individual and beautiful expression.” Anthony Hamilton Russell

Southern Right is a small production estate located in the cool, maritime, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley appellation of South Africa. Founded by Anthony Hamilton Russell in 1994, Southern Right's Sauvignon Blanc remains a local and international best seller with its classic minerality complementing the variety's grapefruit and tropical fruit. It has been rated the best South African Sauvignon Blanc in the Wall Street Journal and has won numerous Gold and Silver Medals. The wines are named after the rare Southern Right whales, which frequent the cool South Atlantic Walker Bay, 3 kilometres from the vineyards. With each bottle sold, Southern Right makes a contribution to Southern Right whale conservation.  

Southern Right is a small Pinotage and Sauvignon blanc specialist located on a strikingly beautiful 448 hectare property in the cool, maritime, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley appellation, just behind the old fishing village of Hermanus. Founded by Anthony Hamilton Russell in 1994, Southern Right's aim was to produce exceptional Sauvignon Blanc and serious age-worthy Pinotage to redefine how wine lovers think of Pinotage, with this intense, classically styled wine, expressing a variety of ancient soils and packed with complex berry fruit, beautiful tannins and subtle spice. Full ripeness at lower alcohol and the longer hang-time afforded by cooler more marginal sites, combined with the complex, more classic fruit aromas and structure, resulting from both granitic and clay-rich soil, make this wine a highly individual expression of South Africa’s unique grape variety. 

These wines are named after the rare Southern Right whales, which frequent the cool South Atlantic Walker Bay, 3 kilometres from the vineyards. With each bottle sold, Southern Right makes a contribution to Southern Right whale conservation.