A sense of place
Terroir
Situated within the Walker Bay wine region, Hemel-en-Aarde lies west of Cape Agulhas, Africa’s southernmost tip. Orientated on an east/west axis it is approximately 35 kilometres long and covers some of the most dramatically beautiful terrain in the Western Cape. With its close proximity to the South Atlantic Ocean, the climate is particularly mild, ideal for growing cooler-climate loving grapes.
There are fourteen soil types on Ataraxia derived from the deposits of Table Mountain Sandstone, Cape Granite and Bokkeveld Shale. Collectively, these deposits make up the geology of the Hemel-en-Aarde area and can be traced back more than 550 million years. This means we have the privilege of cultivating some of the most ancient soils on Earth.
Lying as it does on the most elevated section of the Hemel-en-Aarde area, our convoluted landscape is unique. All our vineyards are planted on these elevated, predominantly south-facing slopes.
Vines
From the beginning our soils have dictated which grape cultivars we plant. These are important vehicles to express our terroir and ultimately the wines you have come to enjoy. Our wines are a pure expression of the soil in which they grow. Currently, we have a total of twelve hectares under vine with a further twelve planned for the future.