Crystallum
Crystallum is a family-run and privately-owned winery based in the Walker Bay region of South Africa. Brothers Andrew and Peter-Allan are third generation Finlayson winemakers and the sons of the man who pioneered Pinot Noir winemaking in the Hemel-en-Aarde region. Crystallum produce only Burgundy varieties with low intervention and native yeasts. Production quantities are tiny, and these wine are now very hard to get hold of.
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Tim Atkin MW (93)
Five different vineyards in Ceres, the Overberg and the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge make up the blend of this pan-regional Chardonnay. Lightly wooded in foudres and larger, older barrels, it carries its full malolactic lightly, showing flavours of lemon butter, stone fruit and citrus zest and a focused, mineral-etched finish.$219.00 -
(1x75cl) 2021Tim Atkin MW (96)
Clay Shales is made with fruit purchased from a vineyard in the central part of the Hemelen-Aarde Ridge. Fermented with native yeasts in older wood, it's a nicely worked style with lots of layers and understated power, mixing flavours of oatmeal, toffee fudge and fresh citrus zing. Structured and intense.$107.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (96)
Clay Shales has helped to create the reputation of the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge as a top area for Chardonnay. The 2023 is a supremely elegant, focused white with impressive structure, intensity and depth. Deftly oaked in 20% new Stockinger barrels, it has wet stone and citrus peel flavours and undertones of pistachio, cinnamon spice and wet earth. 2025-32.$409.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (95)
Part of a brilliant line up of Pinot Noirs from Crystallum in 2020, this is a wine with evident tannin and extraction - more Nuits-St-Georges than Chambolle-Musigny perhaps - with plenty of grip, dark cherry and raspberry fruit, subtle 20% new wood and added complexity from 40% whole bunches.$1,045.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (96)
Cuvée Cinéma showcases the quality of a vineyard at 320 metres on the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. Denser and more powerful than the other Crystallum Pinot Noirs, this has some underlying grip, top notes of blood, fynbos and iron and a medley of bramble, raspberry and black cherry fruit framed by scented 20% new wood. 2025-35.$1,175.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (93)
Ferrum uses grapes from a vineyard that sits just beyond the boundary of the Hemel-enAarde Ridge and was grafted over from Sauvignon Blanc in 2018. Smart choice. This has subtle 10% new Austrian oak, good breadth and texture, an appropriately ferrous undertone and flavours of pear, lemongrass and patisserie spices.$509.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (92)
Peter Max is Crystallum's entry-point Pinot Noir, as it were, combining components from the Overberg with 15% each from Elandskloof and the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. Fermented with 10% whole clusters, it's an engagingly commercial style with white pepper and rose petal top notes and flavours of red cherry, plum and wild strawberry.$342.00 -
Wine Advocate (93)
Crystallum's biggest Pinot Noir release is this 35,794-bottle production, with fruit sourced from across the Western Cape. The 2023 Peter Max Pinot Noir stands out for the same high quality found in the rest of this excellent portfolio. This is a spot-on wine made by Andrew and Peter-Allan Finlayson. With a total of 125 barrels created, it ages in mostly third- and fourth-year 228-liter barrels for 11 months. Wild cherry and violet cede to blood orange and spice.$200.00
