Peter-Allan Finlayson

Crystallum Prepares for the Release of Two Eye-Catching Premium Chardonnays in Mid-2022…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

I was lucky enough to catch up with Peter-Allan Finlayson for a lovely tasting and lunch last year on his spontaneous blink-of-an-eye visit to the UK to touch base with the wine trade (and also take in the Springboks versus Scotland rugby game at Murrayfield). So it was an extra special treat to hear that Peter-Allan would be over again in January to preview a few new vintages due to be released onto the market in May/June 2022.

Peter-Allan’s Crystallum wines are in the enviable position of being quite tightly allocated to start with and generally selling out nationally four to five months into the 12 month calendar. But his wines have earnt their quality reputation vintage after vintage and are sold at very moderate prices considering the quality and market demand. Getting an early look-in at new vintages thus becomes a very valuable exercise every year.

Crystallum Agnes Chardonnay 2021, WO Western Cape, 13% Abv.

Peter-Allan Finlayson describes the 2021 Agnes as a wine with great delicacy, elegance and a lithe light touch crystalline purity. Indeed, this wine is incredibly sleek with fabulous zesty aromatics of lemon and lime biscuits, dusty grey slate and hints of honeydew melon. On the palate, the wine is beautifully elegant and pure boasting boiled lemon bon bons candy, white peach and a subtle salty, leesy, savoury complexity on the finish. Lovely precision, light-touch intensity and concentration of flavour on the long, linear, persistent finish. An understated wine that will appeal to sophisticated drinkers. Drink on release and over 5 to 8+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Crystallum Single Vineyard Ferrum Chardonnay 2021, WO Overberg, 13% Abv.

The grapes for the second release of Ferrum Chardonnay are sourced from a one hectare slice of 12 year old vines located within a seven hectare vineyard block on iron rich soils that lies just three kilometres beyond the Creation Winery (in the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge) at Shaw’s Mountain in the Overberg. The other six hectares were planted by Peter-Allan more recently and currently go into the Agnes Chardonnay cuvee. The original part of the vineyard was based around Sauvignon Blanc vines that were field grafted over to Chardonnay. The aromatics show seductive lactic lemony tangerine notes of yellow citrus pastille, subtle salted toffee and delicate vanilla wood spice nuances over a flinty minerality. The palate is full, crystalline and finely balanced with a plush textural glycerol mouthfeel displaying hints of caramelised lemons, lime peel, lemon biscuits and salted vanilla ice cream on the finish. Another very impressive pinpoint, seamless expression of Chardonnay from Crystallum. Production is tiny so the challenge is always to track down a few precious bottles that you can drink on release or over 10+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Peter-Allan Finlayson Continues to Innovate – Tasting the Exciting New Gabrielskloof Amphora White…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

With Peter-Allan Finlayson of Crystallum and Gabrielskloof fame winning Wine Maker of the Year in the Tim Atkin South Africa Report 2021, there has been a lot of extra attention focused on him and the spectacular wines he produces under these two quality focused wine entities.

After a long absence from the UK due to the pandemic, Peter-Allan flew into London for a speedy visit of tastings and lunches before hot footing it up to Scotland to watch the rugby world champion Springboks dismantle a Scottish team that had only just beaten Australia the week before.

At our tasting, not only did we get to try a fabulous selection of Peter-Allan’s new release wines from Gabrielskloof and Crystallum, but he also managed to squeeze in a couple of new project wines from the Gabrielskloof Bot River winery. While South Africa certainly manages to confound the world’s critics on a regular basis with the exciting quality and styles of its Sauvignon Blancs, there is always room for further innovation… and here Peter-Allan has nailed it yet again with this superb new white.

Gabrielskloof Amphora Sauvignon Blanc 2021, WO Western Cape, 13.5% Abv.

This is a very exciting new addition from the enormously talented Peter-Allan Finlayson. The wine shows an aromatic profile with incredible mineral tension and spice, dried herbs, fynbos, white peach tea and crunchy green pear. On the palate there’s a fabulously textured depth of fruit, tangy acids, layers of tangerine, green apple and a complexing stony minerality on the finish. A minimalist wine in its essence with incredible purity, crystalline depth of fruit and a wonderfully subtle pithy freshness. A real joy to drink and made in a style that will thrill devoted Sauvignon Blanc lovers as well as those preferring a more old world, less pungent expression of the grape. (Only 3,363 bottles produced.)

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Tasting The Crystallum Whole Bunch Pinot Noir 2019 – A Truly Characterful Expression…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

We all know Peter-Allan and Andrew Finlayson make some of the prettiest and accomplished Pinot Noirs in South Africa. With their family heritage and know how engendered in them by their father Peter Finlayson, top Pinot and Chardonnay has always been part of their DNA.

But when it comes to their Whole Bunch Pinot Noir cuvee, this small production endeavour has always been a vehicle for experimentation. Some drinkers, like myself, have certainly become besotted with previous vintages like the 2016 and 2018, but equally, I do realise it can be quite a divisive wine stylistically. In my mind, it probably comes down to how much French Burgundy one drinks and also from which domaines, which will decide your proclivity.

The 2019 was fermented using only native yeasts in small open top vessels. 100% whole bunches were employed. The wine spent a total of six weeks on the skins after which it went into French and Hungarian oak barrels (25% new) for 11 months ageing.

Crystallum Whole Bunch Pinot Noir 2019, WO Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, 13.6% Abv.

pH 3.52 | TA 5.3 g/l | Total SO2 46 mg/l | RS 2.5 g/l | Only 1219 bottles

What a complex and intricate wine with aromatics that combine the best of the local terroir with fabulous whole bunch sapidity and minerality. Combine these notes with wild strawberry, cranberry, sun-dried cherry, bramble berry and sappy wood spice and you have the makings of a wonderful Pinot. The palate starts off a little raw, grippy and tight but with a little air quickly shows round supple notes of delicious black cherry, hoisin plum sauce, fresh fennel and spicy bramble berry fruits. The Whole Bunch has always been a bit of an outlier but wow, what an incredibly characterful wine. All the Whole Bunch wines normally need a bit of extra time to come around but in 2019, yet again, Peter-Allan knocks it out the park! Drink from 2022 to 2032+

(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Crystallum wines are distributed in the UK by Liberty Wines.

One From the Cellar – Tasting the Second Release of the Crystallum Whole Bunch Pinot Noir 2018…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

I recently hosted a dinner with a couple of good friends where the theme was top Burgundy. Wines were tasted blind while we gave our assessment before revealing the labels and drinking the rest of the bottles with some lovely steaks. One of my clients sneaked the 2016 Crystallum Whole Bunch Pinot Noir into the line up and a I can honestly say, hand on heart, that we all thought it was a very good youthful Cotes de Nuits Burgundy red from a good grower at possibly village or premier cru quality level from 2015 or 2016. The grand reveal had us all fooled with the maiden release Crystallum Whole Bunch 2016 showing a beautiful intensity and a youthfully alluring power.

While I was slightly surprised to see Tim Atkin MW recently review the 2018 instead of the new 2019, he nevertheless scored the second release (there was no 2017) a mammoth 97/100 points. So as I am on the cusp of reviewing the 2019 in the coming days, I thought I would enjoy another bottle of the fabulous 2018 from my cellar to recalibrate my palate.

Crystallum Whole Bunch 2018 Pinot Noir, WO Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, 14.2% Abv.

The 2018 Whole Bunch Pinot Noir marks the second release of this initially experimental wine made from fruit sourced in the Cuvee Cinema vineyard in the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge and the Shaw’s Mountain Vineyard. Fermented using 100% of whole bunches, the result is possibly one of Peter-Allan’s most mesmerising creations yet. The aromatics show the best of both worlds with a delicious pure black and red berry fruit concentration, black currant compote, black cherry and red currant notes with subtle hedgerow and underbrush complexity together with the classic whole bunch nuances that offer extra sapidity and a stalky mineral spice. The whole bunch component definitely adds the extra magic that elevates this wine into the ranks of truly special New World Pinot Noirs that firmly tip their hats towards the masters of Burgundy. There is boldness and an extra confident swagger, opulence but also controlled mineral spicy restraint all packaged with an incredibly supple, seamless, harmonious tannin texture. You can drink this wine now but with the maiden 2016 still showing an incredibly youthful glow, it would be a shame not to bury some of these in the cellar for 8 to 10+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Ps. I scored the Whole Bunch 2018 the same score on release back in January when I tasted the wine the first time with Peter-Allan.

https://gregsherwoodmw.com/2020/01/17/peter-allan-finlayson-unveils-some-of-his-new-releases-from-crystallum-and-gabrielskloof-in-london/

Fine Wine Safari New Release Notes – Tasting The Maiden Release Crystallum Litigo Pinot Noir 2019…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

The Litigo Pinot Noir is an impressive new release for Peter-Allan and Andrew Finlayson after their Bona Fide cuvee was not made into a single vineyard wine but blended away into the very impressive Peter Max 2019. I can’t remember if I knew this fact or not earlier in the year when Peter-Allan hosted a new release tasting dinner in London on the banks of the Thames, but it certainly explains in hindsight the extra depth, precision and concentration evident on the Peter Max 2019!

The new Litigo Cuvee from the Overberg.

The maiden vintage Litigo is made from seven year old vines sourced from Crystallum’s very own Shaw’s Mountain Vineyard just outside the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. The Litigo, meaning ‘discussion’ in legal terms, is a wine made in partnership with lawyer Eben van Wyk. Some cuvees come and go, such as the Paradisum Syrah from the Swartland, but I think this is certainly a wine to watch as the vines slowly notch up a little more age.

The wine was fermented using only native yeasts in stainless steel tanks using a 20% whole bunch component with the rest de-stemmed but left intact as whole berries. The wine spent a total of four weeks on the skins after which it went into French and Hungarian oak barrels (30% new) for 11 months before bottling.

Crystallum Litigo Pinot Noir 2019, WO Overberg, 13.6% Abv.

pH 3.60, 13.67% Abv., 5.0 g/l TA, Total sulphites 46 mg/l, Residual sugar 1.7 g/l.

When initially opened, the aromatics were rather broody and foresty, dominated by bramble berry fruits, red currants and wild strawberries. But chilling the bottle down ever so slightly and affording it a little more time to breath and open its shoulders, the wine really does blossom into something quite beautiful. The aromatics are slightly wild and spicy with notes of red cherries, strawberries and earthy mulberry notes embellished with hints of dried baking herbs. There is subtle spice nuances, an attractive violet and rose petal perfume but no real evidence of the 20% whole bunch component or any overt wood spice notes from the 30% new oak, just harmonious integration. The palate is impressively silky and sleek with beautifully pure refined tannins, a light to medium bodied mouthfeel weight and delicate, integrated earthy red berry and pomegranate fruit notes enlivened by soft fresh acids and a seamless finish. One can’t say this wine has the most mineral of profiles but certainly elegance and finesse are the order of the day. A really gentle, generous wine that speaks softly and is very amiable. Drink now and over the next 5 to 8+ years. (Only 1,264 bottles were produced)

(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Fine Wine Safari New Release Tasting Notes – Crystallum Cuvée Cinema Pinot Noir 2019…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

This small boutique winery was established in 2007 by brothers Peter-Allan and Andrew Finlayson. Their father, Peter, was of course one of the pioneers in the production of cool climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at Bouchard Finlayson, laying the perfect foundations for Peter-Allan and Andrew to follow in his footsteps but with their own new label, Crystallum.

Crystallum is now regarded as one of the top wineries in South Africa with fruit sourced from some new vineyards. All of the wines are fermented using indigenous yeasts and new oak has gradually been reduced to focus on the wines’ brightness and fruit purity.

The 2019 Cuvée Cinema Pinot Noir was produced from fruit grown in a single vineyard – one of the highest in the Hemel-en-Aarde region. This region is characterised by a moderate climate which results in delayed ripening and a late harvest. The soils are clay and shale in composition, which allows optimum fruit development while naturally restricting vigour and keeping crop levels low.

Once a location for a film based on the life of Napoleon, the ‘Cuvée Cinema’ vineyard produces some of the most intense, age worthy Pinot Noir in South Africa from Dijon clones.

Crystallum Cuvée Cinema Pinot Noir 2019, WO Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, 13.5% Abv.

This wine is always one of the most opulent and expressive wines in the Crystallum line up and this 2019 is another exceptional offering produced from 100% Ridge fruit with 70% whole-bunch fermentation. The bouquet is super fragrant and exotic with notes of Indian spices, violets and rose petals, dried leaves and subtle hints of forest floor and the most attractive melange of red currants, sour cherry and black bramble berries. The signature plushness and elegance of the palate is well measured and beautifully pure with marked notes of pink musk, red cherries, hints of cranberry brightness and a kiss of cinnamon spice on the finish. The tannins are suave and velvety lending enough structure and frame to give this wine a wonderful shape in the mouth. A really fabulous expression of Pinot Noir that could comfortably rub shoulders with some of Burgundy’s finest wines. Drink now and over the next 8 to 10+ years. (6,744 bottles produced)

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Tasting the New Gabrielskloof Landscape Series Cabernet Franc 2017 Pre-Release…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

You wait for a bus for hours and then suddenly a whole tranche of them come along all at once. This is what the past few days have felt like with Cabernet Franc from South Africa. Within a matter of days, I had tasted the new Warwick Cabernet Franc 2015, the iconic Raats Family Cabernet Franc 2015, the Raats Dolomite 2016 (and sensational 5 Star Platter winner), and also the delicious new 2017 vintage from Gabrielskloof in the Bot River … due for release on the 1st April 2019.

I vividly remember reviewing the 2015 vintage a couple of years back after winemaker Peter-Allan Finlayson had given me a “clean skin” sample to taste. Of course it was a very impressive wine from a stellar red vintage and many months later, unsurprisingly, the 2015 Gabrielskloof Cabernet Franc made it into Tim Atkin MW’s South Africa Report as his “Red Wine Discovery of the Year.” The 2017 comes from the same Cabernet Franc vineyard in the Bot River region.

Tasting with Peter-Allan recently in London.

In this third consecutive drought vintage, Peter-Allan decided to do less extraction during fermentation with 20% whole bunches, so using only three pump overs (remontage) during active fermentation and thereafter a longer 23 day post-fermentation maceration followed by ageing the wine in larger 500 litre oak barrels to retain freshness and fruit expression.

Gabrielskloof The Landscape Series Cabernet Franc 2017, WO Bot River, 14.1 Abv.

Made using fruit from 16 year old vines, the 2017 has a very attractive nose displaying a super complex perfumery of black berry, tart cassis, milk chocolate and cherry liquor. Beautifully complex wine expertly balancing piercing violet fragrance and sweet sappy cedar spice with hints of boxwood, spiced meats, melted wax and eastern incense. On the palate one is struck by the wine’s lithe, sleek mid-weight silky balance, delicious blueberry and oak spice harmony together with nuances of sweet dried herbs, plum spice, another last dusting of mocha choc spice and a very fine, long, fresh lingering piquant finish. A thoroughly confident, vibrant expression of Cabernet Franc expertly delivered in a vintage shaping up to be another very impressive high quality year for both reds and whites. Drink from 2019 to 2030+.

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

(Wines are distributed to the trade in the UK by Liberty Wines)

Peter-Allan Finlayson and Crystallum Release Their First 100% Whole Bunch Pinot Noir…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

When I visited Peter-Allan Finlayson last March at his cellar we tasted through all his delicious 2016 whites and reds before finishing off with something very special… his first 100% whole bunch Pinot Noir 2016 made from a tiny portion of the grapes from his famed Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge Cuvee Cinema vineyard.

Only 629 bottles of this impressive wine were produced.

Crystallum Whole Bunch Pinot Noir 2016, Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, Walker Bay, 14% Abv.

Quite a broody, almost opaque black cherry colour, this wine is certainly stand apart from Peter-Allan’s other Pinot Noirs. The aromatics are piercing, intensely lifted, and positively fill the room with notes of sappy black cherry, leafy black current, cigar ash, dusty minerality and a resinous, lapsang black tea pungency. The smokey fruit opulence is embellished by attractively fragrant notes of musk, pink stick candy and sugar dusted strawberry bon bons. The palate is beautifully relaxed and at ease, showing wonderful sappy, spicy, brambly red fruits, cherry herbal tea infusions, waxy ruby grapefruit skins, a hint of pleasantly piquant vermouth bitterness and a long, fleshy, creamy finish. There is more tension, sappy stalk spice and peppery textural notes than the other cuvees, but it is pulled off so expertly that one wonders why Peter-Allan does not make all his wines in this style. This is a slightly more sophisticated expression of Pinot Noir that will hold massive appeal for Burghounds and Pinotphiles. Enjoy this deliciously complex wine now with food, or age for another 10 to 12+ years. This is going to be a future unicorn wine for sure! Bury a few bottles away.

(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)