Hamilton Russel winery from Hemel en Aard in South Africa

Hamilton Russell Vineyards is one of the southernmost wineries in Africa. The winery is also a pioneer of viticulture and winemaking in the beautiful, cool, coastal Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, just outside the old fishing village of Hermanus, and specialises in producing highly individual, terroir-driven Pinot Noir and Chardonnay varieties that are widely regarded as the best in South Africa and among the best in the New World. Their Southern Right brand, for which vineyards south over the hill are set aside, then concentrates on Sauvignon Blanc and Pinotage, paying homage to the southern right whales that come to Walker Bay each year.

Founder Tim Hamilton Russell purchased the undeveloped 170-hectare site in 1975 after an exhaustive search for the most southerly location to produce premium, cool-climate South African wines from select noble varieties. His son, Anthony Hamilton Russell, who took over the business in 199, narrowed the range to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and committed himself to working only with grapes from his terroir. Extensive soil research begun in 1994 identified 52 hectares of stony, clay-rich, shaley soil as optimal for Burgundian varieties, with the remaining vineyards earmarked for the Southern Right project.