pinot noir and south africa

Pinot Noir is one of the harder grape to get ripe.
German tends to overoaked it, California to overripe it and France to overpriced it.
South Africa as then a card to play but which one?

At the moment, only Hermanus area is producing some Pinot Noir of any quality, with its cool climate and sea brezees.
Unfortunatly, first plantings with Swiss clone didn't proved to be a good material, so wines have to be replaced and tend now to be young.
Bouchard Finlayson and Hamilton Russell are the two serious producers of the area, but upcoming such as Newton Jonson and Crystallum from Finlayson's son are beaten the track !

Of course, the wines produced tends to lack the balance of european examples and are fuller in style as well due to their location, but there is a clear potential once appropriate soils will be identified, and vines will get older.
Keep focuses on 2005 rich and full style and 2007 for its elegance, avoid 2008 showing thin body and quite high acidity.

Cheers.

Benjamin