Heaven and Earth – that is the name in Afrikaans for this valley nestled between arid mountains and the cool ocean, a location that makes it a paradise for winegrowing.
Not for nothing are vineyards in Hemel en Aarde carving out a global reputation among wine lovers seeking a fresh, distinctive flavour.
Winemakers here do not try to imitate the big European names, which can often be a stifling benchmark.
Instead, they produce wines with a strong South African identity – wines whose savour tells the story of their distant birthplace and bring with them the heritage from the first Huguenot plantations in the 1600s.
“We are not really New World and not Old World,” said 35-year-old winemaker Emul Ross, flanked by his boss Anthony Hamilton Russell.
“We are not trying to be Burgundy, we are closer to that style of pinot noir than New Zealand or Oregon, which have more sweetness, more fruit.”
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