Wine represents the essence of nature, and we believe that only by embracing the natural environment and keeping processes to a minimum can wines be made that express the soul of their place. At Chamonix regenerative agriculture ensures purity in the showcasing of terroir, with the ethos of minimal intervention in the winery extending the offerings of nature. For we believe that the great wines aren’t the ones surrounded by the most noise – they are to be found where you can taste the silence.

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An award-winning winemaker, Neil has worked at some of the Cape’s leading wine estates as well as gaining valuable experience in Oregon and Australia. “I am but a carer of that which the vineyard delivers. Making wine, for me, must be done with minimal intervention to allow the site and the fruit to say what they want to say. That’s the only way the wine can do its work the way it wants to.”

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Founded in 1991 at the dawn of the new era for South African wine, Chamonix is situated on Franschhoek’s cool south-west facing mountain slopes and recognised as one of the region’s finest producers of a diverse range of wines. The farm area is 238Ha, of which 36.3Ha are planted to vines and the rest a mountainous ecosystem populated by unique fauna and flora.

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Chamonix Estate’s terroir is renowned for its award-winning, site-specific cultivars. To ensure a disease-free environment and maintain our premium quality for the future, we replanted 36.3 hectares of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc  in 2023.

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More than 400-600 meters above sea level, our vineyards flourish
on the slopes of the Mont Rochelle Mountains. Savouring a constant,
refreshing breeze while dry air maintains the grapes’
optimal wellbeing.

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Words borrowed from Didier Dagueneau
based in the small village of Saint-Andelain

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Our Chenin Blanc block, planted in 1965, stands as a testament to our commitment to quality and heritage. These old vines produce grapes of exceptional character, forming the cornerstone of superior wines year after year. “You just have to walk through the vineyard to understand how special it is. Every scion, tendril and leaf carry the essence of age and a life well-lived. These emotions are also encountered when savouring the wine crafted from the grapes it generously yields – a delightful complexity that resonates with the voices of ancient soils. It exposes the drinker to the philosophy that good wine is a timeless treasure” Neil Bruwer. Winemaker.

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South Africa’s first underground maturation wine cellar was built in the early 1990’s. Wine is a delicate, living artefact that best matures in a quiet, natural, and sensitive environment. Not unlike ancient times when wine was stored in underground rooms to keep thermal and humidity conditions suitable for aging.

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