The latest release from Crystallum has just hit our cellars! The Agnes and Peter Max are bestsellers every year, and the 2023s are stellar iterations.
The Agnes Chardonnay 2023 is superb. Slow to unfurl, it offers attractive, toasty reduction to start and perfectly judged oaking. The wine is medium-to-full bodied with vibrant spice, poised yellow fruit, and plenty of tension to boot. It’s a brilliant everyday Chardonnay at R315 but has a track record that shows it will go the distance.
A perennial Wine Cellar favourite for its purity and complexity, the 2023 Peter Max Pinot is a charming rendition. Notes of potpourri, cardamon, burnt orange and crushed strawberry are laced with cool red fruits and a bitter bite on the finish. We suggest you secure enough to drink now and keep a few bottles for the ultimate reward in 3-5 years.
Peter-Allan Finlayson sets the pace when it comes to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the Cape. The 2023 Agnes and Peter Max are multi-vineyard blends and great examples of the winemaking talent at Crystallum. Their philosophy is to create ‘a blend that is more than the sum of its parts’.
Tasting Notes:
Crystallum The Agnes Chardonnay 2023
‘Inviting aromatics of vanilla, spice, nutmeg and cardamon with candied lemon rind and notes of peach, pears and dried fynbos. Wonderful fruit density and mid-palate weight, without lacking restraint. The oaking is perfectly judged and already well integrated, giving way to nutmeg, spice and a medium-to-full body weight. The finish is delicate, chalky and long with nuances of white florals and oak spice coming through on the end. A superb everyday Chardonnay but, with its track record, can easily go the distance.’ – Lauren Segers, February 2024
Crystallum Peter Max Pinot Noir 2023
‘Bright red cherry and strawberry laced with potpourri and cardamom tea spice, the aromatics of this wine alone are enticing. Poised cool fruit and clever oaking make this Pinot super charming, with notes of nutmeg, burnt orange and hints of toffee apple coming through. The palate is pure and persistent, showing that it will reward the patient with time in the cellar, yet it’s still attractive and accessible now.’ – Lauren Segers, February 2024
