Tesselaarsdal
Wine maker Berne Sauls grew up in a small village called Tesselaarsdal situated 24 km North East of the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Hermanus in the Overberg region with its unique history where East India Company settler, Johannes Tesselaar, left his land to his freed slaves to farm upon his death in 1810.
Berne initially joined Hamilton Russell Vineyards in February 2001 as an au pair and soon moved to an administrative position and quickly got involved in the much more complicated administration linked to wine exports, labelling as well as warehousing of the estate’s wines.
Experiencing so many aspects of the business already her curiosity turned towards the delicate process from grape to bottle, the very layered wine culture and living the excitement of each harvests.
“Fifteen years after starting my career in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Anthony Hamilton Russell offered to assist me with the wonderful opportunity to wholly own my own wine business and join the rest of the Hemel-en-Aarde area as a producer with the expert assistance of Hamilton Russell Vineyards wine maker, Emul Ross and the Hamilton Russell Vineyards’ team. My focus is on Pinot noir and Chardonnay as our climate and soil type is best suited for this cultivar and named my wine Tesselaarsdal, honouring my history and continuing my family legacy. My wine style is reflective of site and terroir, expressing the clean lifted pure fruit from the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge which is both graceful and age worthy in the Tesselaarsdal Pinot noir and Chardonnay.” Berne Sauls
Grape purchases are secured with La Vierge Babylon Vineyards, Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge (unirrigated vineyards) until her own property Tesselaarsdal’s vineyards is developed and ready for harvest.
Awards and Accolades:
Tesselaarsdal Wines (Pty) Ltd was nominated and shortlisted for South African Premier Business Awards 2016 hosted by Department of Trade and Industry.
Tesselaarsdal Wines (Pty) Ltd won category Agro-Processing for #YAFF Awards 2017 – Youth in Agriculture hosted by Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries
Tesselaarsdal Wines (Pty) Ltd won Provincial (Western Cape) category Agro-Processing for Top Female Entrepreneur Awards 2017 as well as Special Minister’s Award for Youth in Agriculture hosted by Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries.
Tesselaarsdal Wines (Pty) Ltd won National (Best out of 9 Provinces in South Africa) category Agro-Processing Top Female Entrepreneur Awards 2017 as well as Special Minister’s Award for Youth in Agriculture hosted by Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries.
Tesselaarsdal Wines (Pty) Ltd won Provincial (Western Cape) category Exports for Top Female Entrepreneur Awards 2019 in Agriculture hosted by Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries.
Tesselaarsdal Wines (Pty) Ltd won National (Best out of 9 Provinces in South Africa) category Exports Top Female Entrepreneur Awards 2019 hosted by Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries.