The 12 best wines estates for tasting Pinot Noir

Jean-Claude and Carolyn Martin established Creation in 2002, high up in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley near Hermanus, on previously unplanted land. Here, cooling Atlantic breezes and clay-rich Bokkeveld shale soils suit the variety particularly well. Cellarmaster Jean-Claude Martin produces a quartet of superb expressions: the Estate and Reserve wines, Emma’s Pinot Noir and the small-production Art of Pinot Noir.

The latter is the bottle to seek out in the excellent tasting experiences at the estate, where skilled wine stewards (or JC himself, if you're lucky) guide guests through the cool-climate wines. Individual bottles – including Art of Pinot Noir – can also be added to the estate’s structured food-and-wine experiences. 

Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, Hermanus

This pioneering hemel-en-Aarde property makes just two estate wines: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, both grown on the property’s stony, clay-rich, shale-derived soils. Founder Tim Hamilton Russell bought the undeveloped 170-hectare farm in 1975 after searching for a cool southern site; his son Anthony took over in 1991 and narrowed production to the two Burgundian varieties.

Today, Pinot Noir continues to be one of the cellar’s defining releases, and best discovered in the cosy tasting room on the estate. It’s a front-row taste of the wines that helped establish the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley’s reputation. With only one Pinot Noir produced each year, vintage rather than range provides the variation.

R320 Hemel-en-Aarde Road, Hermanus

Pinot Noir is truly in the fabric of Bouchard Finlayson, a farm established in 1989 through a partnership between Burgundian winemaker Paul Bouchard and Peter Finlayson, the South African pioneer who had already built the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley’s first modern winery.

The current winemaker (Chris Albrecht) carries that legacy forward in two key bottlings. Galpin Peak is the estate’s flagship Pinot Noir, named after the fynbos-covered mountain overlooking the vineyards, while Tête de Cuvée is selected from the cellar’s finest barrels and crafted for longer ageing.

The estate is currently closed to visitors, with a new tasting room under construction set to open in 2027. Until then, find the wines at the pop-up tasting room in Hermanus. 

R320 Hemel-en-Aarde Road, Hermanus

Ataraxia is a Greek word meaning tranquility, and that’s what you’ll certainly feel at this glorious tasting room, shaped like an Overberg chapel and set on one of the valley’s highest points. Ataraxia was established in 2004, and Pinot Noir is central to the compact range of cool-climate wines (their Sauvignon Blanc is also incredible). Tastings in the Wine Lounge cover the core range, and are offered Monday to Saturday.

Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, Hermanus

With a stunning tasting room perched high on the sides of the Hemel-en-Aarde valley, Newton Johnson’s range of ‘Pinot’ moves from the accessible Walker Bay Pinot Noir to the more complex Family Vineyards bottling. The tasting room pours the family’s current wines Monday to Saturday, but the line-up changes as limited Pinots sell through. Ask what is open before you arrive, then book lunch at the on-site restaurant to make an afternoon of it.

Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Hermanus

For a Pinot Noir geography lesson, book a tasting at the cellar with Hannes Storm. He spent 12 vintages working in the Hemel-en-Aarde before identifying two small Pinot sites and releasing his maiden wines from the 2012 vintage. Today, Hannes and Nathalia Storm produce three site-specific Pinots: Vrede from clay-rich shale in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Ignis from decomposed granite in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, and Ridge from a cool eastern slope on the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. Storm is the only producer with a Pinot Noir from each of the area’s three appellations, making the comparative tasting a deep-dive for the Pinot enthusiast. Tastings are strictly by appointment and carry a set fee, so book in advance.

Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Hermanus

Views are not in short supply at La Vierge, but the Pinot will demand your attention too. Vineyards here remain predominantly planted with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and winemaker Christo Kotze crafts a focused set of cool-climate wines. The regular tasting covers the La Vierge and Story Teller collections, including the floral, red-fruited Story Teller Pinot Noir. Also look out for the older Owner’s Reserve Pinot Noir.

Hemel-en-Aarde Road, Hermanus

Three Pinot Noirs from the Paul Cluver cellar delivers a masterclass in what Elgin has to offer. In the tasting room, the dedicated Pinot Noir Discovery flight moves from the fruit-forward ‘Village’ through the Estate Pinot Noir to the limited Seven Flags flagship. The tasting room is open daily, making this one of the easiest Pinot-focused stops to plan in Elgin.

De Rust Estate, Elgin

This Elgin valley estate focuses almost entirely on Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and you can sample their work across three Pinot tiers: the bright Sounds of Silence, the more structured Groenlandberg and the tiny Tabula Rasa bottlings, which isolate individual clones. Beyond the wine, Oak Valley is also one of the best destinations for mountain biking in the winelands, so pack your wheels!

Oak Avenue, Elgin

This family-owned estate sits high above the Elgin Valley. Former engineer Andrew Gunn began establishing the farm after discovering this unusually cool site. The property is now planted with Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The Pinot range spans from the easy-going, cleverly named Mr P Knows to Elgin Highlands Pinot Noir, and the more serious Kroon and Kloof single-vineyard wines. Tastings are offered on weekdays, with Saturdays and public holidays by appointment.

Highlands Road, Elgin

Founder Achim von Arnim, who passed away in 2025, built his much-loved Franschhoek cellar with a dedication to both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, later creating South Africa’s first still Chardonnay-Pinot Noir blend in 1994. Today, his children continue the legacy, and the atmospheric tasting room high on the Franschhoek Pass offers a Shades of Pinot Noir experience, exploring the variety through sparkling, rosé, unwooded and barrel-matured wines. It’s a novel look at just how versatile one grape can be. But if you’re a purist, seek out the Pinot Noir Reserve or the limited site-specific Haute Collection Pinot Noir. Cellar tours are also available. 

Lambrechts Road, Franschhoek

Though perhaps better known for their Rubicon red blend, Meerlust has turned out head-turning Pinot Noir since 1980. Working only with grapes grown on the estate, shaped by cooling coastal breezes, cellar master Wim Truter makes just one Pinot Noir in the range, but it’s interesting to taste how the grape performs in the heat of Stellenbosch. The standard tasting at the estate includes the full Meerlust portfolio, including Pinot Noir and Rubicon. VIP tasting adds older vintages served in varietal-specific Riedel glassware. 

Baden Powell Drive, Stellenbosch