Crystallum, `Ferrum` Chardonnay

Crystallum is a small Hemel-en-Aarde winery, established in 2007 by brothers Peter-Allan and Andrew Finlayson. Their father, Peter, was a pioneer in the production of cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at Bouchard Finlayson, so after university, it seemed only natural for the brothers to return home and source fruit from the Hemel-en-Aarde to create their own label.

Translating to ‘heaven on earth’ in Afrikaans, Hemel-en-Aarde is a coastal growing region that directly overlooks Walker Bay. This exposure to the South Atlantic, as well as its high elevation, makes for a climate perfectly suited to producing remarkable Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, two grapes for which the area is famed. Its ancient soils are similarly notable, formed nearly 400 million years ago and comprised of Bokkeveld Shale, decomposed Granite, and Table Mountain sandstone. Becoming a district in 2006, it is no coincidence that the reputation of Hemel-en-Aarde wines has grown at the same pace as Crystallum’s.

Today, Crystallum is one of South Africa’s most highly regarded wineries and is at the forefront of the ‘New Wave’ movement. In 2021, Peter-Allan was named Tim Atkin MW’s ‘South African Winemaker of the Year’. Each vintage, he strives to make even better wines, and he is always on the lookout for new vineyards. This includes recent explorations just outside of Hemel-en-Aarde, such as Elandskloof and Shaw’s Mountain in the Overberg. The former is home to their coolest vineyard, situated at 700 metres above sea level and surrounded by some of the Cape’s highest mountains, making it a particularly exciting, late ripening site. Their south-facing site, on the shale and clay slopes of Shaw’s Mountain, also mirrors the climate and soils of the Hemel-en-Aarde while not technically falling within the region. The winemaking at Crystallum has evolved over the years, with all the wines now fermented with indigenous yeasts and the use of new oak reduced to preserve the purity of fruit.

‘The Agnes’ Chardonnay is a barrel-fermented blend from different vineyards in the valleys inland from the coastal town of Hermanus. It boasts aromas of white peach, green apple, butterscotch and a pleasant hint of gunflint. The single-vineyard ‘Clay Shales’ is in a cool-climate area on the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, a high elevation and later-ripening area, which gives the wine lovely acid and balance, while the indigenous yeast fermentation and Bokkeveld shale and clay soils add superb texture. This is undoubtedly one of South Africa’s best Chardonnays. Fruit for the ‘Ferrum’ Chardonnay is sourced from their Shaw’s Mountain site, close to Clay Shales. Its iron-rich soils naturally limit vigour and produce intensely concentrated fruit.

The ‘Peter Max’ is made with fruit from five different vineyards. These include two in the Hemel-en-Aarde, one near Clay Shales, one in Elandskloof and a new, inland high-elevation site. Peter-Allan uses about 50% whole bunch and indigenous yeast fermentation, followed by a reasonably long maceration to create a wine with lifted aromatics, lovely grainy tannins, as well as excellent balance and length. The coastal 'Litigo' vineyard is found just outside the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. Its southerly aspect means the vines are shaded for much of the day, and the site is cooler than the other Crystallum vineyards, producing a lighter expression with fresh and savoury aromatics of red plum and tomato leaf.

The ‘Cuvée Cinéma’ hails from a low-yielding single vineyard in the heart of the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, planted 300 metres above sea level and five kilometres from the coast. It is perfumed and dense with notes of pomegranate, black cherry and spice, and a saline finish. Sourced from their high elevation site in Elandskloof, the ‘Mabalel’ Pinot Noir is ethereal and vibrant with sappy tannins and fine acidity.