Berene Sauls has probably the most unique story of all of our winemakers. Growing up in a small village in the Overberg, Berene admits that she came from a beer-drinking community, and wine was never really on her radar. Her first exposure was at the age of 19, when she began working for the trailblazing Hamilton Russell family as an au pair. Anthony Hamilton Russell recognised her drive and thought a job working in the winery office would better suit her.

Thrown in at the deep end knowing really nothing about wine, she was soon exposed to every side of the business - assisting with exports, bottling and labelling, driving forklifts and picking during harvest too, as well as on the side, "growing and developing a palate that wasn't there!" Her curiosity kept her rising through the ranks, and fifteen years after starting her career, Anthony offered her the opportunity to make her first wine, aided by proficient head winemaker Emul Ross. She leapt at the opportunity, and the rest is history.

She named her business Tesselaarsdal for the small village that she grew up in, and if you look closely at the label, you can make out two people walking across the mountain. This is Berene's mother and her grandmother who went each week to trade with the nearest town, Stanford.

Hemel-en-Aarde, meaning “Heaven and Earth” in Afrikaans, is a cool-climate wine region situated just inland from the Atlantic Ocean near Hermanus on South Africa’s south coast. Strong maritime influence from the nearby Walker Bay moderates temperatures, bringing cool breezes and morning mists that extend the growing season and help retain acidity. Summers are generally mild, though occasional heat spikes and high winds can present challenges, and rainfall during the growing season can increase disease pressure.

The region is divided into three wards — Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge — each with slightly different elevations and soil types. Overall, soils are predominantly shale- and clay-based with varying amounts of granite and iron-rich sandstone. These well-drained but water-retentive soils help regulate vine vigour and contribute to structure and complexity in the wines.

Hemel-en-Aarde has become renowned for its Burgundian-style Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Pinot tends to produce elegant, perfumed wines with red cherry, raspberry and subtle earthy or savoury notes, while Chardonnay offers vibrant citrus, white peach and mineral flavours often balanced with refined oak and a creamy texture.

Among the most awarded and highly regarded producers in the region are Hamilton Russell, Restless River, Newton Johnson, Storm, Creation and Ataraxia, all of which have helped establish Hemel-en-Aarde as one of South Africa’s premier cool-climate wine regions.

Pinot Noir is one of the world’s most celebrated and challenging grape varieties, renowned for producing elegant, complex wines. Believed to have originated in Burgundy, France, over 1,000 years ago, it thrives in cooler climates where its thin skin and early ripening nature are best suited. Viticulturally, Pinot Noir is notoriously difficult to grow: it is susceptible to rot, mildew, and pests, and requires precise canopy management to balance ripening with acidity retention.

Pinot Noir is planted across the globe, with notable expressions found in Burgundy, Champagne, Oregon’s Willamette Valley, California’s Sonoma Coast, New Zealand’s Central Otago, and Germany’s Baden and Pfalz regions. In Champagne, it is a key component of sparkling wines, typically blended with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. The wine's diverse geographical range means that you might also find it labelled as Red Burgundy, Pinot Nero, Blauburgunder, or Spätburgunder.

The grape produces wines of delicate colour but remarkable aromatic depth. Typical flavour profiles include red fruits such as cherry, raspberry, and strawberry, often layered with floral notes, earthy undertones, and hints of spice or forest floor as the wines mature. Styles range from light and silky to more structured and age-worthy, depending on climate and winemaking choices. Pinot Noir’s ability to express terroir with precision makes it a favourite among wine lovers, despite — or perhaps because of — its demanding nature in the vineyard.