Drinks Atlas: Hemel-en-Aarde, South Africa

The name of South Africa’s Hemel-en-Aarde region translates to “heaven on earth,” and the landscape is fittingly celestial. Rolling hills make way for valleys so green and lush they look like an artist’s rendering. Breezes from the nearby Atlantic Ocean keep temperatures cool, even at midday.

This otherworldly beauty has terrestrial benefits. Coupled with diverse soils such as clay, sandstone, and 400-million-year-old Bokkeveld shales, conditions in Hemel-en-Aarde are ideal for cultivating Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. “It’s a very good place to grow grapes, especially the thin-skinned, difficult ones,” says Berene Sauls, director of Tesselaarsdal Wines. Sauls created the label in 2015 after working for nearly 15 years with Hamilton Russell Vineyards, a 1975 winery that many consider instrumental in establishing the modern wine industry in Hemel-en-Aarde, and where Sauls continues to oversee import and export.

The region sits approximately 50 miles southeast from Cape Town and is divided into three appellations: Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, which is closest to the Atlantic coast; Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, where the elevation starts to climb; and Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, the furthest inland and highest altitude. “All these vineyards sit in an amphitheater,” Sauls says, which keeps sensitive grapes protected from the harsher effects of light, heat, and wind.

With less than 1,000 acres planted to vine throughout the region, Hemel-en-Aarde winemaking is small but mighty. “The collective size of the vineyards of Hemel-en-Aarde is the size of Central Park in New York, and the Hemel-en-Aarde area in total is the size of Manhattan island,” Sauls says. By comparison, South Africa’s prominent Stellenbosch wine region spans more than 11,000 hectares.

Despite the relatively modest footprint, Hemel-en-Aarde wines increasingly capture global attention. Due to its elegantly structured Pinot Noirs and Chardonnay, “people often refer back to Burgundy,” Sauls says. It’s an apt parallel for a corner of the wine world that otherwise defies comparison.

5 to Try

Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak Pinot Noir 2001

For evidence of the remarkable ageability of Hemel-en-Aarde Pinot Noir, look no further than this bottling from regional stalwart Bouchard Finlayson. Named for the peak along the eastern Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, the wine is still balanced, with red fruit flavors and savory, mushroom notes alongside integrated tannins. finewinesinternational.com, $80

Hamilton Russell Vineyards Pinot Noir 2021

This elegant red wine from a pioneering Hemel-en-Aarde label has savory, herbaceous, and minerally notes alongside its dark red fruit flavors. The grapes grow in stony, clay-rich soil and are harvested in small yields, and the wine ages for 10 months in French oak barrels before release. It’s an excellent representation of what winemakers in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley appellation can do, says Sauls. “It’s a beautiful expression of site and terroir.” merchantofwine.com, $49.95

Restless River “Le Luc” Pinot Noir 2021

From the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley comes this sophisticated single-vineyard Pinot Noir. Grown in granite and clay soils, the fruit is hand-harvested and fermented with native yeasts before the wine is aged in a combination of new and old oak barrels and stainless steel tanks. The results are silky, with subtly savory undertones. Expect flavors like “grapefruit notes plus wild strawberries and sour cherries,” Sauls says, all indicative of the appellation. nyc.flatiron-wines.com, $61.99

Storm Ignis Pinot Noir 2021

“Overall, in South Africa, 2021 was a beautiful vintage,” Sauls says. “The grape quality and harvest conditions were just immaculate.” This elegant bottle hails from an organically farmed vineyard in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. It has cranberry, cherry, and wild strawberry flavors with mossy, minerally notes. Velvety tannins and along, tart finish make it an especially food-friendly option to pour alongside roast duck or root vegetables. mvwines.com, $64.99

Tesselaarsdal Chardonnay 2022

Sauls sources the fruit for this textured white wine from the unirrigated, high-altitude La Vierge Vineyards in the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. It’s aged for five months, mostly in amphorae and with a small percentage in neutral oak. The results are lively, with bright lemon and lime aromas and flavors plus a savory, flinty backbone. With its medium body and long, tart finish, this wine can complement everything from roast chicken to creamy pastas to steaming bowls of pozole. winetoship.com, $43.99