
Tasting Notes
This Pinot is straight-up stunning — deep, plush, and dripping with ripe fruit, layered with silky oak and just the first whisper of those earthy, forest-floor vibes starting to show. It’s evolving, and it’s only going to get better. I lined it up next to a couple of standout vintages of Fourrier’s Gevrey-Chambertin Vieille Vigne (yeah, the £255-a-bottle kind), and honestly? It held its own with ease. There’s something about this wine: extra dimension, that soft fullness, and a slow-unfolding complexity that promises to keep giving until at least 2033.
More Info
Restless River is a rising star which has quietly achieved cult-status for its brilliant, Burgundian-style Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and super fine yet intense Cabernet Sauvignon. Launched in 2012 by Craig Wessels, their farm is located in the beautiful Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. It's home to some of the oldest Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay vines in the region (planted in 1998). At Restless River, things are done in an unhurried way, with great dedication and attention to detail. Their production is done by hand, resulting in limited quantities of each wine, and demand far exceeding supply. Restless River is defined by its terroir, and Craig Wessels' thoughtful and careful winemaking allows it to be the star of the show. "At its best, South Africa is increasingly terroir-driven. Craig Wessels of Restless River says that it’s about “building wines in the vineyard, not the winery”, trying to reflect a place rather than a style that’s imposed in the cellar." - Tim Atkin MW, South Africa Report 2023. "His Chardonnays offer real Burgundian allure and his occasionally Volnaysian Pinot Noirs." - Neal Martin, Vinous.com