Storm Wines

After 12 vintages in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley working specifically with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Hannes Storm discovered two tiny parcels of land with particularly exceptional terroirs. The two vineyards, one in the Hemel­-en-Aarde Valley and the other in the Upper Hemel­-en-­Aarde Valley, were planted in 2008 to Pinot Noir. Storm’s maiden vintage was launched in 2012 and, after spending 18 months in bottle, the wines were released in August of 2014.

Today Hannes and Nathalia Storm are a husband and wife team that handcrafts their site specific Pinot Noir and Chardonnays from three appellations in the Hemel-en-Aarde (translates to “Heaven and Earth” in Afrikaans): Vrede Pinot Noir and Vrede Chardonnay come from low-vigour, stony, clay­-rich Bokkeveld (‘Buck Veld’) shale soil in the Hemel-en­-Aarde Valley. Their Ignis Pinot Noir hails from decomposed granite soil in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and their Ridge Pinot Noir and Ridge Chardonnay are also grown in low-­vigour, stony, clay­-rich Bokkeveld shale soil in the Hemel-en­-Aarde Ridge. Storm Wines is the only producer with Pinot Noirs from each of the three appellations in the Hemel-en­-Aarde.

The Hemel-en-Aarde is nestled behind the quaint fishing village and popular holiday town of Hermanus, 120 km from Cape Town. The appellation spans 450 ha of vineyards and considered an exceptional cool-­climate winegrowing region, influenced by the cool Atlantic Ocean. The prevailing summer wind, the Southeaster, is a moderating influence, as is the Benguela Current, which flows up from Antarctica. A higher rainfall average than the rest of the Cape’s wine regions makes a significant difference in drought years.

Storm Wines strives to steer the purest characteristics of each vineyard site towards bottle and cork. Small production, careful viticulture, minimal intervention in the cellar and a constant nod to the “Old-World” result in wines with distinctive personality and character.