The Blankspace Marketing team was fortunate enough to have been invited as guests to the Hemel-en-Aarde wine growing region’s Cape Wine 2018 event hosted by the winemakers and proprietors of this iconic region in their beautiful peace of heaven on earth.
Hemel-en-Aarde is situated just outside the coastal town of Hermanus in the Walker Bay district, a mere 1500 meters from the Atlantic Ocean. Guests were welcomed by Mr Anthony Hamilton Russell, proprietor of the acclaimed Hamilton Russell Vineyards. He explained the differences and similarities of the three Hemel-en-Aarde wards Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge saying that this region has been blessed with ‘a stroke of good geological fortune.’
Mr Kevin Grant, proprietor of Ataraxia, a self-proclaimed ‘terroir’ist’ or ‘soil farmer’ rather who’s winemaking philosophy is to showcase terroir expression, also mentioned that this wine growing region receives more average winter rainfall than London and furthermore the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge is substantially cooler than the other wards because of the ‘highest collective elevation’ in the whole of Hemel-en-Aarde.
With average daytime temperatures of the Hemel-en-Aarde rising to a mere 25 degrees celsius, the close proximity to the Atlantic and the maritime influence this region, world-renowned for iconic Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, is by all measures a cool climate wine region in every sense of the word.
In the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, the largest of the three wards, the soil is estimated to be six million years old and it is know that this ward is one of the only regions in the Overberg district consisting of granite soil as stated by Mr Craig Wessels, proprietor of Restless River and Chairman of the Hemel-en-Aarde Winegrowers. ‘The producers in this area each has their own unique story to tell with elegant, refined beautiful wines’ said Craig.
"If there are one thing guests to the Hemel-en-Aarde should take away with them it should be that the region has extremely good quality wines and a breeding ground for iconic Pinot Noir and Chardonnay."
Craig Wessels – Chairman of the Hemel-en-Aarde Winegrowers
As the world continues to focus its gaze on the South African wine industry with the industry’s biggest platform: CapeWine, South African wines are making waves across the globe for the top quality offering and value for money that is opening up a host of new markets and exciting opportunities for South African wines.
Wines of South Africa (WoSA) host this three-day event, which is again being sponsored by the world’s leading express logistics company, DHL Express, from 12-14 September 2018 at the Cape Town International Convention Center.
For more information about Cape Wine 2018 visit their website and follow their social pages and #CapeWine2018 www.capewine2018.com
