Crystallum Bona Fide Pinot Noir Elandskloof, South Africa

Crystallum Bona Fide Pinot Noir is a South African red wine with an excellent reputation. This wine is made from the Pinot Noir grape and is known for its complex character and refined flavor profile.

Crystallum Bona Fide Pinot Noir has a deep ruby red color and an intense appearance. On the nose, this wine offers a captivating aroma of ripe red berries, strawberries and cherries, accompanied by subtle spicy and floral notes. The taste is elegant and refined, with lively fruit notes that are perfectly balanced with soft tannins and fresh acidity. This wine has a silky texture and a long, persistent aftertaste.

The grapes are harvested manually with strict selection and transported directly to the vinification room in Gabriëlskloof in Botrivier. The fermentation occurred spontaneously without the addition of commercial yeasts. There was a 50% whole bunch component and the remainder was destemmed but left intact as whole berries. The total time on the skins was five weeks, after which the wine spent 11 months in French oak barriques. 20% new oak.

2018 - 96 Tim Atkin MW

The pick of Peter-Allan Finlayson's Pinot Noirs in 2018, this comes from the Vrede vineyard that also supplies fruit for one of Hannes Storm's releases. With no 2019 to come, fans of this remarkable wine should stock up now. Plush, rich and showing the texture of its clay shale soils, this has considerable presence and depth, with 60% whole bunches adding extra structure and clove spice. 2022-30. – Tim Atkin MW, 96/100

2021 - 96 Tim Atkin MW

2022 -  Robert Parker (RP) : 92+ Points (2022)

Coming from a vineyard near Storm's Vrede Vineyard, the 2022 Bona Fide Pinot Noir is fresh and vibrant with a juicy nose of dark cherry and potpourri. Medium-bodied, this is complex, with layers of bitter black tea and firm red fruit notes alongside tight tannins that will need additional time in the bottle to come around but will no doubt be fantastic with food. Just over 2,500 bottles were produced after resting for 11 months in 20% new French oak. Nicely done! 13.5% alcohol.