Wine and Restaurant: Manolo salutes Hamilton Russell

I’m very grateful that Anthony Hamilton Russell hasn’t taught his daughters to share. “I have four daughters and I can’t leave them to fight over one small farm,” he explains as he introduces wines from his various ventures of Hamilton Russell Vineyards, Ashbourne and Southern Right at a gourmet evening at Manolo restaurant in Kloof St.

Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir and Chardonnay have long been objects of desire on the local and international wine scene, with Top US gourmet magazine, Saveur, calling Hamilton Russell Vineyards the most Burgundian Winery outside Burgundy. It’s the Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc however that’s sending me into guavary raptures as we sit down to Amuse Bouche of Prawn with guava crumble and lime cordial.

The tasty morsels of prawn and lime froth soon disappear, but the wine lingers. A starter of scallops, hazelnuts and pear with beurre noisette and citrus follows and this time it’s the Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay that holds her hand out to be kissed by our appreciative lips. Dr Donne, my intrepid dining companion and self-confessed fool for Chardonnay, is positively euphoric. It’s the best she’s ever tasted. She smiles coyly as she lists past favourites. I have to agree, this wine inspires devotion.

As we move onto mains of mushroom crusted lamb terrine with dashi flavoured potato, simejii and bacon wafers with Szechuan red wine jus, I have to resist caressing the bottle of Hamilton Russell Vineyards Pinot Noir presented by our waiter. Perfumed, with uncompromising mineral intensity and focused fruit, this Pinot Noir is a rare pleasure. I start to feverishly try and phantom how to increase my disposable income.

While pondering how I might fare as a contortionist in a traveling circus, I am surprised by dessert. Chocolate ganache, berry and pinotage ice-cream, curry leaf marshmallow and a banana wafer flutter their eyelids at me and they don’t have to ask twice. Dr Donne is not impressed with the marshmallow, but I find it delightful. Richard Carstens is such a clever man to dream up these wonderful concoctions.

Dessert ushers in a duo of Pinotages: the Southern Right Pinotage 2006 and Ashbourne Pinotage 2004. John Platter gave both these wines four and a half stars. As I contemplate their respective subtlety and virtue, I think I lean towards favouring the fresh heady fruitiness of the Southern Right. The structure and integration of the Ashbourne scolds me for my flighty ways in preferring the younger wine.

I happily resolve to make a pilgrimage to the Hemel and Aarde Valley to visit the hallowed ground responsible for these seductive wines.

The evening is drawing to a close and appreciative noises are echoing off the elegant walls. The food was remarkable, the wines sublime. Thank you, thank you, thank you and come again.