Only the fourth release of this cuvée, sourced from the oldest vines on the Newton Johnson estate. When a South African Pinot Noir transports you to Chambolle-Musigny in the blink of a sip, it’s time to sit up and take notice, even if the price will cause tuts and eye-rolling in certain quarters. That’s only to be expected, because many believe that a South African Pinot Noir can never reach the giddy heights of a great Burgundy and we know such disbelievers exist, because we were among them. But tasting this single vineyard Pinot Noir from the cool, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley changed all that. It took us straight back to the cellars of Mugneret-Gibourg in Vosne-Romanée and, more specifically, the experience of tasting, from barrel, their young Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru ‘Les Feusselottes’. That probably sounds a bit twatty, but certain wine moments are imprinted on your memory and that sense of drinking liquid rubies was never more vivid than in the cellars of Mugneret-Gibourg, until it happened again in The Cape while sampling this magnificent wine. 13.5% alc. Drink now-2030.

Organic/biodynamic (certified)

Press review:

Tim Atkin MW: “Seadragon is one of the Newton Johnsons' lower vineyards, located below the road that crosses the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley on clay-based sandstone and granite soils. Floral and delicate, with potpourri and pressed rose petal aromas, notes of dried herbs and sweet spices, a twist of white pepper, savoury tannins and layers of redcurrant and wild strawberry. Drink 2023-2030." 96 points