Description
Crystallum, “Peter Max” Pinot Noir
Even just a few years ago, those of us in the American wine trade thought we knew what South Africa was all about: a lot of Pinotage, some Chenin Blanc, maybe a few iconic sweet wines. But I’ve now come to realize this wildly picturesque and oft-overlooked country is capable of anything. A powerful yet aromatically lifted Mullineux Syrah came full force in this morning’s offer, and this afternoon, with Crystallum’s “Peter Max” bottling, South Africa proves it can do sumptuously elegant Pinot Noir just as well.
The granite slopes of the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley (“Heaven and Earth” in old Dutch), buffeted by cooling maritime winds and bedecked in the native fynbos scrub, can produce polished, spice-accented beauties that’ll turn your notion of Southern Hemisphere wines upside down. And this stunning terroir could ask for no better interpreters than Peter-Allen and Andrew Finlayson, whose father first put Pinot Noir on the South African map. To be frank, I feel a little guilty being late to the party, because this Pinot can go toe-to-toe with any luxurious bottling from the Willamette Valley or the Sonoma Coast. Grab a six-pack and dig into this incredible place!
The Finlayson family, Pinot Noir, and the Hemel-en-Aarde (previously known as Walker Bay) are deeply intertwined. In 1981, Peter Finlayson made not just the very first South African Pinot Noir, but the first wines in Hemel-en-Aarde at Hamilton Russell Vineyards. Hamilton Russell is dedicated to Burgundian varieties, and it makes sense: Whereas the rest of South Africa is hot and dry, more reminiscent of Napa than Nuits-Saint-George, the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley is cool and maritime. The chilly breeze off the nearby Atlantic Ocean provides brisk acidity to balance ripe, sunny fruit notes. In 1989, Peter founded Bouchard Finlayson right next door to Hamilton Russell, in conjunction with Burgundian Paul Bouchard. He didn’t stop pioneering—he introduced Sangiovese and Nebbiolo to South African vineyards as well—but continued to establish the region as South Africa’s best for Pinot. Surprisingly, the precedent he set was followed: Although the region still counts only 20-odd producers, virtually all of them are focused on making Burgundian varieties at the highest level possible.
You might call Crystallum a refinement of Peter’s mission. In 2007, his sons Peter-Allen and Andrew started the label, trading his wide-ranging ambition for a laser focus on Hemel-en-Aarde Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Andrew organically farms the various single vineyards that comprise the Crystallum range, while Peter-Allen handles the winemaking. Peter-Allen’s touch is deft and emphasizes purity and polish over extraction and power. “Peter Max” is a blend of five sites, fermented spontaneously with about 50% whole clusters before aging a full year in new and used French oak. It may be the Finlayson brothers’ “entry-level” bottling, but it ranks among the finest sub-$50 New World Pinots.
The synergy between boisterous fruit, stem-derived spice, and invigorating acidity here is a marvel. “Peter Max” pours a lucid ruby with glints of purple. Booming, juicy red fruits lead the nose with pomegranate, crushed strawberry, cherry compote, and plum flesh backed by hibiscus, black tea, faint baking spices, and orange peel. The medium-plus body palate turns a hint darker, toward licorice, underbrush, blackberry, and black cherry pit. Finely grained tannins from the whole cluster fermentation bring the giving palate firmly into focus. Served at 60 degrees in Burgundy stems, this is drop-dead gorgeous right now and will continue to evolve brilliantly over the next 3-5 years. If you are as passionate about world-class Pinot Noir as we are, Crystallum simply needs to be in your rotation.
