Best Private South Africa Wine Tour: A Wine Traveler’s Guide

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La Rochelle Tours is a family-run operation with years of experience in wine tourism. They have an excellent reputation which is evident by their incredible client reviews.

South Africa has five famous wine regions. One of those regions is Walker Bay, which is about 1.5 hours from Cape Town.

Walker Bay is important because it contains an area called Hemel-en-Aarde, which translates to “heaven and earth” in the Afrikaans language. This little pocket of the world is known for producing some incredibly elegant, high-quality wines.

Pinot Noir (our favorite!) thrives in this cool climate. If you are serious about wine and want to try some of South Africa’s best, this is the area to check out!

Most group wine tours will take you to the wine regions of Franschhoek and Stellenbosch, but there are VERY FEW who will make the long drive to Walker Bay.

That is a big reason we chose the highly-rated company La Rochelle Tours for a private wine tour of this specific wine region.

When we read head sommelier Luvo Ntezo of the One & Only Cape Town Hotel report that Hemel-en-Aarde Valley is one of his favorite regions for top pinot noir wine producers, we knew we had to go!

Appointments are often necessary for these small boutique wineries located in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. All the wineries we visited below required advance appointments.

Breakfast at Cape Vue Country House in Franschhoek, South Africa

We ate a big breakfast first at our hotel, Cape Vue Country House.

La Rochelle Tours picked us up at our accommodation.

We enjoyed a beautiful 90-minute ride out to Hemel-en-Aarde Valley for our first wine stop.

My husband and I with winemaker Hannes at Storm Winery in Hemel-en-Aarde Valley

Do not expect a sprawling estate with an elaborate tasting room. The focus here is producing exceptional quality wine, which we loved.  

Storm Wines is a boutique winery with a very small production of only pinot noir and chardonnay. For example, the Storm Ignis Pinot Noir 2018 only produced 290 cases!

Vineyards were planted in 2008, with the first wine released in 2014.

We met with the lovely humble winemaker, Hannes Storm, casually sitting on his couch in his workspace as he walked us through the three pinot noirs he produces in each of the 3 appellations of the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley (Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, and Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge).

You will not find a more dedicated, passionate winemaker whose sole focus is Pinot Noir perfection. With exceptional terroir and minimal intervention, he is able to produce three distinct Burgundian-style pinot noirs that stand out due to their unique character: Vrede, Ignis, and the Ridge.

Vrede Pinot Noir 2017

The Vrede exhibits good structure and depth with grippy tannins and has a darker fruit profile that is not too overt. Decanter recently had a Pinot Noir Panel Tasting and listed the Storm Vrede 2017 in the Top 50 wines in the New World for a single vineyard Pinot Noir.

The Ignis is lighter and more feminine, with raspberry and strawberry notes. It is beautifully balanced with silky tannins.

The Ridge is an elegant, well-structured wine with bright acidity and spicy notes.

On a side note, Hannes’ brother Ernst also owns a winery named Storm but in Santa Barbara County in California. He focuses on Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir using both Old and New World techniques.

Overlooking the vineyards at Creation Wines

The next stop was Creation Wines, a gorgeous vineyard situated high up on the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge with expansive views. It was established from virtually nothing in 2002 by Jean-Claude and Carolyn Martin and is now an award-winning wine farm.

We enjoyed a wonderful multi-course lunch with wine pairings.

They have indoor and outdoor seating. We would have loved to dine alfresco on the deck, but it was a little windy and cool so we ate inside in the bright, cheerful dining area.

One standout harmonious pairing was the Reserve Pinot Noir with the lamb loin, star anise, poached pear, polenta, and goat cheese.

The Creation Reserve Pinot Noir was smooth and had crisp acidity with fresh raspberry on the nose.

Another sensational pairing was the Creation Estate Syrah-Grenache with the springbok shank with waterblommetjies (edible water plant). The Syrah-Grenache blend was peppery, full-bodied with flavors of ripe plum.

Since our waitress knew we were pinot noir enthusiasts, we also tasted the Art of Pinot Noir, which was a lovely complex wine tasting of dark cherry and plum with subtle spice.

Allot about 2 hours for this delicious culinary experience.

Lamb loin, star anise, poached pear, polenta, & goat cheese at Creation Restaurant

Springbok shank with waterblommetjies at Creation Restaurant

Sitting outside on the deck at Hamilton Russell in Hemel-en-Aarde Valley in South Africa

Last wine stop of the day! Hamilton Russell.

It all started in 1975 when Tim Hamilton Russell saw the potential and purchased the property right outside of Hermanus to make some of the country’s top cool climate wines.

He is considered the pioneer of high-quality winemaking in Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. His son, Anthony Hamilton Russell, then took over the reins in 1991 and decided to only showcase two grape varieties, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay after conducting extensive soil research. 

What makes Hamilton Russell wines stand out?

Terroir + farming organically. With the stony, shale-derived, and clay-rich soil and the cooling breezes from the nearby ocean, Pinot Noir thrives with minimal intervention.

Hamilton Russell wines are known for being more European in style even though it is a New World wine, taking on more structure and complexity with savory and spicy notes instead of exhibiting more “fruit-forward” flavors that New World Pinot Noirs are known for.

Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir

Enjoying our wine tasting out by the lake at Hamilton Russell in Hemel-en-Aarde Valley in South Africa

We had several outstanding wines while relaxing outside on the deck overlooking the lake.

One was the Estate Pinot Noir 2018, which was savory and earthy with mineral tones and bright acidity.

We also tasted the Ashbourne Pinotage 2016 (very intense, complex, and rich) and the Ashbourne Pinotage/Cinsault 2019, an interesting blend of 80% Pinotage (which is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault) and an additional 20% Cinsault from the Swartland region.

Hamilton Russell is also well-known for its Chardonnay, but we only tasted the red wines.

Pinotage has been misunderstood over the years but now South African winemakers have given it a bright future by creating beautiful, elegant expressions of this grape variety.

Seaside town of Hermanus in South Africa

We could have incorporated one more winery to visit, but we decided instead to visit the quaint seaside town of Hermanus.

As we drove around the charming town, it made me wish we had spent the night there for 1 night. We walked around the seaside boardwalk for about 30 minutes or so to stretch our legs and watch the whales play in the distance.

Peak whale season runs from September-November.

Before leaving, you must stop at the Wine Village, which is a local wine shop that carries an impressive stock of all the best South African wines, gins, and brandies.

The staff is super helpful in guiding you in your selection. They also do periodic tastings. This shop consistently is voted as one of South Africa’s best wine shops.

It proudly hosts the annual Hermanus Wine & Food Festival, where one can enjoy wine tastings, live entertainment, food trucks, and more. Hannes Storm did not have any wine to sell during our tasting, so we were able to pick up some of his wines at this friendly shop. 

Karoo lamb with pumpkin, salsa verde, and smoked olive at La Petite Colombe Restaurant in Franschhoek, South Africa

We were dropped off at our accommodation around 6 pm to relax and freshen up before dinner. 

After a short walk of 5 minutes from our hotel in Franschhoek, we arrived at La Petite Colombe. This dining establishment is the sister restaurant to La Colombe, which is one of the top restaurants in South Africa.

The multi-course menu was playful and focused on the best seasonal products. We chose to do the wine pairings along with our meal.

If you still need restaurant recommendations for your South African wine country getaway, check out my article below. 

R 3880 for 9 hours for 2 people for a private tour.

Wine tastings and tip were not included.

I have been to quite a few amazing wine destinations, so I’ve had a little practice figuring out what attire works best.

My husband and I visited the Cape Winelands in the spring (September). I would recommend smart casual attire.

If you need more inspiration on what to wear at a winery, don’t miss my article below.

It is very difficult to visit the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley without having a driver.

Our driver from La Rochelle Tours was very professional and friendly and provided a wonderful experience as he transported us from place to place.

He was a local and was able to provide history and fun stories of the area in addition to giving great suggestions of what to do and see along our trip. Fantastic service! 

If you want to know more about all the tours offered, check out La Rochelle Tours’ official website below. 

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Questions about our South Africa wine tour?

Let me know in the comments below!