Ashbourne
Ashbourne - The property is named after Anthony’s great, great grandfather Lord Ashbourne who was Lord Chancellor of Ireland in the late 1800’s.
1996
history
Founded in 1996 by Anthony Hamilton Russell with the first Pinotage planting in the area and located on a beautiful 64 hectare property in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley on the eastern border of Hamilton Russell Vineyards, very close to the cold South Atlantic Ocean.
2001
Ashbourne
Makes It Debut
The first Ashbourne Pinotage is released. It is grown on extremely iron-rich and clay-rich, stony soils, well suited to nursing a high level of refinement and classic styling out of Pinotage.
2006
Ashbourne
Makes it Debut
The first Ashbourne Sandstone wine is released. This wine is grown on our quartzite sandstone soils, which emphasise the nervous energy and minerality of Sauvignon blanc, this is balanced with the density and glycerol of Chardonnay and Semillon from the same soils, fermented with our endemic yeasts.
“Ashbourne began as a quest to make something extraordinary out of Pinotage in ancient, unusually clay-rich, shale-derived soils. It remains our goal to grow and make unusual, age-worthy, classically styled wines with a true South African personality, that belong in the company of the world's benchmarks.”
Anthony Hamilton Russell
2006
Ashbourne
Sandstone
After several years of trials and research into the ideal white wine partner to the Pinotage, the first Ashbourne Sandstone wine is released. This wine is the most beautiful expression possible, of the quartzite sandstone soils on the property, which emphasise the nervous energy and minerality of Sauvignon blanc. This is balanced with the density and fuller texture of Chardonnay and Semillon from the same soils, fermented with natural and endemic yeasts in amphorae.
“We are particularly proud of our soil and site specific maritime white blend, Ashbourne Sandstone. It is the first South African wine to be fermented and aged in amphorae and remains one of the most individual, layered and complex white blends we know, while retaining an elegance, minerality and lightness of step making it so seafood friendly.”
