HUMBLE, respect for the land, with a sense of place, small scale, a family affair. He is the winemaker, she is the manager, their children share their names with the vineyards, and the wines are good, very good. No bells and whistles at this boutique outfit in the middle of the Hemel-en-Aarde – above the Valley proper, below the Ridge beyond. At Restless River, ‘next door’ to Hermanus, you can feel that you’re near the sea, sometimes you can smell it. And you can see the river, just some 200m from the lowest vines.

‘Restless’ is the anglicised version of ‘Onrus’, the name of the river below the farm of Craig and Anne Wessels. They specialse in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, for which the area is famous, but also Cabernet Sauvignon, of which there is precious little in the entire district of Walker Bay. Their daughter’s name is Ava Marie, as is their Chardonnay, a regular 5 Star laureate, the 2017 vintage a Wine of the Year in the 2020 edtion of the Platter’s Guide. ‘Tension’ is one of the words used when describing this beauty. ‘Reined-in’ you could say. With style!

RESTLESS RIVER AVA MARIE 2017
Chardonnay. WO Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Hermanus. Single Vineyard: 2ha, 20 years old, 5km from Atlantic Ocean. Whole-bunch pressing. Naturally fermented (wild yeast) and aged sur lie (on the spent yeast) in a combination of large barrels (5% new) and terracotta amphorae, imported from Italy. ±1000 cases
Alc 13.5 | RS 1.7 | TA 7.1 | pH 3.1
From the Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: Understated, refined aroma with hints of lime, green apple and wet stone… Complex, subtle fruit, saline… Granite soils reveal a texture that is dense, grippy… Light yet with substance, and a long, fresh finish.
Cellar-door price: R375pb