Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay Hemel-En-Aarde Valley 2009

Pale gold with a luminous clarity. Peach, nectarine and hazelnut oil lead the nose, followed by nutmeg spice and a briny, iodine-tinged minerality that nods firmly toward Meursault or Puligny. Rich and generously fruited on the palate, yet a citrus spine keeps things honest, cutting through the stone fruit and lending the wine a sense of proportion. The finish is long and savory, with a faintly grippy, almost tannic edge that signals this still has somewhere to go. A standout vintage for this bottling.