Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the South African planes, Crystallum stretches over two hilly areas in the Walker Bay region. Created in 2007 and led by two brothers, Peter-Allan and Andrew Finlayson, the domain grows Burgundy varieties on rich South African soils and delivers superb single-varietal wines of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Sometimes from a single plot, sometimes from several, the wines are testimony to the skill of the winemakers and are absolutely unique.

These Pinot Noir vines, located in Walker Bay, South Africa, could easily be thought to come straight out of Burgundy. A scene from a film about Napoleon was shot on the estate in 2006, inspiring the name of the cuvée. The harvest is carried out entirely by hand, when the grapes are at optimum ripeness, to better protect the fruit. In the winery, whole bunches are fermented naturally in stainless steel vats before the wine is left to macerate for 31 days. Lastly, the wine is aged in casks, 25% of which are new, for around 11 days.
The vermilion colour reveals a bouquet dominated by red fruit aromas combined with hints of rose petal. This wine is perfectly structured by fine silky tannins, leading to a delightful persistent finish. This wine may be enjoyed in its youth or following a good few years of cellaring.