Wine.Musings

Hemel-en-Aarde, or Heaven-on-Earth, is one of the most beautiful places to taste wines that I have even been to. Luscious verdant mountains rise above this peaceful South African valley, dotted with wine farms and cooled by the persistent coastal wind, known as the Cape Doctor. If you enjoy cool climate South African wines or are simply looking for a stunning getaway, then Hemel-en-Aarde is for you.

Where to go?

My friends and I visited the following wineries to try some of the best Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that South Africa has to offer.

1. Whalehaven Winery. Unexpected. Whalehaven, our first stop, pleasantly surprised with their Seascape Chardonnay and Earthscape Pinot. Both wines were quite intense in flavour, clearly speaking of the land they were coming from. (3.9/5)
2. Bouchard Finlayson. Simply the best. Being one of the top names doesn’t always translate to quality, but it certainly does at Bouchard Finlayson. If most other wineries in South Africa typically produce one or two standout wines, here it was a whole party. The iconic Tête de Cuvée Pinot Noir (4.2/5), the gamey Galpin Peak Pinot Noir (4.2/5), the perfectly composed Missionvale Chardonnay (4.1/5; #5 on my list of Best SA whites), and the gentle Crocodile’s Lair / “Kaaimansgat” Chardonnay (4.1/5) all shone with their unique characters and offered great value for money. 
3. Newton Johnson. Buzzy and busy. Our main reason for visiting Newton Johnson was to taste their Chardonnay, which did not disappoint. Buttery, round, nutty, full of vanilla, apples, a lemon rind. Perfectly balanced out by a punchy acidity (4.1/5). We tried the 2022 vintage, which would benefit from a few years ageing. Equally enjoyable was the Pinot Noir (4.1/5), with its cherry, cranberry, leather, tobacco, bright and precise acidity. This drank beautifully now, but can also age. The views from the tasting room were unbeatable, though it did feel very busy, especially for off season.
4. Creation. Trendy and spenny. Winners of multiple wine and tourism awards, Creation draw in a crowd. Beautifully situated in the middle of rolling vineyards, they offer a perfect place to break for lunch. In terms of wine, their Art of Pinot Noir (4.3/5; #5 on my list of Best SA reds) and Chardonnay (4.2/5) are some of the most precise expressions of these grapes that I have ever tried. The price point bites, but what wouldn’t you do for the love of wine?
5. Spookfontein @spookfonteinwines. Small and local. It was great to finish our day with a more intimate experience after the crowds on the previous two stops. Spookfontein offered up reasonable Chardonnay, Pinot, and Phantom, their trademark Bordeaux blend (4/5). 

All in all, Hemel-en-Aarde wine tasting offers an unforgettable (unless you taste too hard) day out for wine lovers in South Africa.

Where to Stay?

• Stay a few nights in Hermanus. This unassuming coastal town was one of our highlights in South Africa: beautiful coastal boardwalk, jaw-dropping scenery, an undefinable positive vibe, and – if you are lucky – even whales. There are plenty of holiday rentals to choose from in town. I’d recommend taking something with a beach-facing balcony for those late evening wine sessions, but it’s also easy enough to grab a bottle and enjoy the sunset from the cliffs.

Where to Eat?

• Have lunch at Creation or Newton Johnson. Both offer good food and and stunning views 
• If coming to Hemel-en-Aarde from Cape Town, stop at the Peregrine Farm Stall. Their pies are to die for and you can get lots of provisions for dinner because…
• Hermanus itself doesn’t have great food options, so set your expectations accordingly or cook something nice at home accompanied by a great bottle from your tasting.

Other Travel Tips

• Take the Wine Hoppers Safari, unless you have that unicorn of friend/partner that doesn’t want to drink wine and is happy to drive.
• Pre-book (especially for lunch)! Whether you are booking the Wine Hopper or going independently, the most popular wineries here may not be available for last minute bookings and may not accept you just rocking up. 
• Visit Wine Village Hermanus to pick up bottles from all local wineries and those further afield. You can stop here after the tour if you weren’t ready to commit to buying while visiting the wineries themselves. This may be a smart strategy if you are flying and need to be judicious about how much wine you bring home.
• Some wineries offer shipping to UK, EU, USA. I used this option at Bouchard Finlayson, but realized I may have been better off just buying the wine in the UK directly. Oh well.

Happy tasting!