Tasting Notes

Greek for “a serene state of mind, free from worry and preoccupation”, Ataraxia lives up to the hype. Aptly called The Skyfields, Ataraxia Wines is perfectly positioned on a commanding rise in the beautiful Hemel-en-Aarde wine-growing area. Just a short distance from the coastal village of Hermanus, a picture-perfect drive brings you to the most elevated part of these winelands. Here you can experience jaw-dropping vineyard, valley and mountain views: all from the chapel-like Wine Lounge®, while sampling some of the most exciting wines South Africa has to offer.

Nose

A wine that possesses a finely scented, vibrant nose with hints of red berry fruit and intriguing mineral and spicy notes. 

Palate

Mouth-watering and polished grape tannins are wrapped in an elegant structure that subtly occupies all corners of one’s palate. Intriguing, unusual and lingering.

History

Hemel-en-Aarde is Afrikaans for “heaven and earth” and the claim is justified. Our estate sits on a particularly heavenly stretch of land beneath a lofty peak of the Babylon’s Tower mountain range. In addition to its unrelenting beauty, Ataraxia is home to some of the most spectacular terroirs South Africa has to offer.

In 2004, The Skyfields Farm was visioned into the Ataraxia wine label when husband and wife, Kevin and Hanli Grant and a few friends purchased this 47-hectare prime vineyard property. More than a decade later, they are associated with crafting wines of incredible finesse, balance, and depth.

Production

The fruit used to make this wine was sourced from radical and individual vineyards sites with one goal in mind – to have the confidence to “whisper” style through the true expression of these sites rather than “shout” brashness through winemaking excesses. This wine is a seamless blend of three varietals, Pinot noir, Cinsault and cool-climate Pinotage. However, the emphasis of this blend remains entirely on style rather than cultivar make-up. Cultivars are after all merely vehicles to express terroir and not the expression of a wine itself.

Specifications