Crystallum single-vineyard new releases

By all accounts, the 2022 season in the Overberg was cool, slowing down ripening and allowing excellent flavour development. In the case of the Crystallum wines, flavours are indeed intense but what it is perhaps even more apparent is the sense of quiet authority that just about all of them show. Tasting notes and ratings as follows:

Crystallum Ferrum Chardonnay 2022
Price: R667
Grapes from the Shaw’s Mountain area of the Overberg. Matured for 10 months in a combination of 300- and 500-litre barrels, 10% new. Citrus and some flinty reduction on the nose while the palate has concentrated fruit, driving acidity and a saline finish. Forceful in the best sense, precise and poised. Alc: 13.23%.

CE’s rating: 96/100.

Crystallum Clay Shales Chardonnay 2022
Price: R667
Grapes from Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. Matured for 10 months in a combination of 300- and 500-litre barrels, 15% new. Citrus and oatmeal on the nose while the palate is that much richer and rounder than its counterpart above. Great texture, layers of flavour and well-integrated acidity. Alc: 13.3%.

CE’s rating: 95/100.

Crsytallum Mabalel Pinot Noir 2022
Price: R667
Grapes from Elandskloof, no whole-bunch fermentation. Red cherry, musk and a little white pepper on the nose. The palate has good clarity of fruit, bright acidity and soft tannins, yet the finish remains pleasingly dry. Elegant and full of charm. Alc: 13.54%.

CE’s rating: 94/100.

Crsytallum Cuvée Cinema Pinot Noir 2022
Price: R667
Grapes from Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. 60% whole-bunch fermentation. The nose shows red and black berries, fynbos and a hint of white pepper. The palate has a dense core of fruit, bright acidity and lightly grippy feel to the finish. Precisely made, this stands out for its purity and uncompromisingly dry finish. Alc: 13.87%.

CE’s rating: 96/100.

Crsytallum Bona Fide Pinot Noir 2022
Price: R667
Grapes from Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. 50% whole-bunch fermentation. Dark berries, orange, cured meat, spice and earth on the nose while the palate is rich and flavourful with fine tannins and a gently savoury finish. This is rounder and fuller than its counterparts above but perhaps less focused. Last vintage of this cuvée due to the limitations on quality posed by leaf-roll virus. Alc: 13.82%.

CE’s rating: 93/100.

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