Anthony Hamilton Russell

Proprietor, Hamilton Russell Vineyards, South Africa

Anthony was born in Cape Town, South Africa in 1962. He is married to Olive and has four daughters. Anthony completed a BSc in Biological Sciences at Wits University (Johannesburg), followed by an MA in Geography at Oxford University. After working as a financial analyst for Morgan Stanley in London he completing an MBA at Wharton, graduating on the Dean’s list. Following this, he worked in London for the management consulting firm Bain and Company. In 1991, with the likelihood of positive political change in South Africa, Anthony returned to take over the family farm, Hamilton Russell Vineyards, which he subsequently purchased from the family in 1994.

Anthony is known to be a passionate advocate of expressing origin – and soil structure in particular – in wines and of aiming for more “classic” styling. He is also a strong believer in the importance of developing a clearer wine style identity for South Africa’s top appellations. He was the motivator and driving force behind the creation of the three Hemel-en-Aarde appellations in his area. Anthony has formally judged wines in South Africa, Argentina and Hong Kong. He has spoken at the MW symposium in Perth and has hosted a Cool Climate symposium for the MW’s in South Africa. He has been a wine panelist at conferences in Chile, Switzerland, Australia, the UK, USA and South Africa. Anthony is a Chevalier du Tastevin and a Commandeur de Bordeaux (South African Chapter).