Wine of the Week: 2023 Tesselaarsdal Pinot Noir

This week I had the absolute pleasure of tasting with Berene Sauls, the visionary behind Tesselaarsdal Wines. This small but impressive label hails from Hemel-en-Aarde, a scenic wine region just a couple hours from Cape Town. Berene began her journey nearly a decade ago with this inaugural Pinot Noir, later adding a remarkable Chardonnay (which deserves its own praise in a future post).

Berene's roots run deep in the region. She’s from Tesselaarsdal, a nearby community with a rich history. Descended from freed slaves, the town's land was a gift from the widow of a Dutch East India Company soldier who “owned” the land and the people on it. There’s a lot to unpack here, like how tf did this Dutch man own all this land and the people on it? But I’ll get back to the wine before I go off on a slavery and colonialism tangent. These wines are a beautiful way of honoring the community and legacy that produced Berene, and the land that produces these delicious grapes. 

Speaking of grapes, the cool climate and proximity to the ocean of Hemel-en-Aarde are perfect for growing Pinot Noir. However, I cannot emphasize enough how temperamental Pinot Noir is. Notorious for being thin-skinned and overly sensitive, Pinot Noir is one of the brattiest of all cultivars, but yields exceptional results when happy. So an excellent Pinot Noir is really a miracle. THIS is a miracle. 

Here’s the rundown:

Looks like: brilliant bright red, beckoning you to taste it like the irresistible forbidden apple 

Smells like: your lover feeding you freshly picked cherries on a picnic – happiness in a wiff 

Tastes like: tart cherries and sea spray, with a hint of cinnamon

Beyond the incredible wine itself, Berene generously shared her experiences and wisdom as a woman of color in the wine industry. Her passion and resilience are an inspiration. I didn’t need any more reasons to buy Tesselaarsdal Wines, but now I’m really sold. So yall go ahead and grab a bottle of this exceptional Pinot Noir – and let me know how much you love it!