TOUR THE HERMANUS WINE REGION
From the N2 towards Somerset West continue over Sir Lowry’s Pass, staying on the N2. You’ll see the Hermanus turn-off (R43) after about an hour. Continue along this road for 20 minutes until you see the signs for Hemel-en-Aarde. Hermanus Tourism Bureau, 028 312 2629, www.hermanus.co.za
On your way to the Hermanus Whale Festival, allocate a day to explore the Hemel-en-Aarde area and stock up your beach bar. Previously incorporated into the Overberg wine route, the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley at the entrance to Hermanus is now thriving as a separately demarcated wine-producing district with 12 producers, and counting. The Wine and Spirits Board took it one step further when they established three different Hemel-en-Aarde wards in recognition of the differentiations within the valley.
Winemaking in the area is still quite experimental as vintners explore which cultivars work best. Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir have established themselves as sure winners. Despite the notorious difficulty associated with growing Pinot Noir, it does well here because of the cool maritime climate and fertile soils. Sea breezes from the cold Atlantic Ocean are channelled through the two surrounding mountain ranges to keep vines cooler than in other Cape winemaking regions, so grapes are able to ripen slowly. Winters are mild, so vines are not affected by frost.
Apart from experimenting with planting and harvesting, there have been a few forays into Agri-Tourism by wine estates such as Newton Johnson, which opened Heaven Restaurant last year. Some of the smaller farms are expanding too – Creation Wines opened a tasting room in July. Contact the individual estates for opening hours, the tourism bureau will provide you with a map. All wines are available at the Wine Village, open for free tastings daily.
ADDRESS BOOK
Wine Village at the Hemel-en-Aarde Craft Village 028 316 3988, www.wine-village.co.za
Hermanuspietersfontein 028 316 1875
Whalehaven 028 316 1633, www.whalehavenwines.co.za
Hamilton Russell Vineyards 028 312 3595, www.hamiltonrussellvineyards.com
Bouchard Finlayson 028 312 3515, www.bouchardfinlayson.co.za
La Vierge 028 313 0130, www.lavierge.co.za
Sumaridge 028 312 1097
Newton Johnson 028 312 3862, www.newtonjohnson.co.za
Ataraxia 028 212 2007
Creation Wines 072 673 1880
Hemelzicht 028 313 2215
Southern Right 028 312 3441
Spookfontein 028 313 0668