Seven Springs Vineyard

Between the spa town of Caledon and the seaside village of Hermanus, along the picturesque R320, Seven Springs Vineyard occupies a stretch of land that was once used for nothing more than grazing cattle. Today, nearly 12 hectares of vines grow on shale-derived soils at the meeting point of two mountain ranges, producing some of the Overberg's most expressive cool-climate wines.

The estate is the creation of brothers Vaughan and Tim Pearson. Tim, originally trained as an agronomist, and Vaughan built a successful contract cleaning business in the United Kingdom, which gave them the means to pursue a winemaking dream on the other side of the world. They planted their first vines in 2008, after purchasing the Sandfontein Farm property in 2006. It took two years of soil preparation and site selection before a single vine went into the ground.

The inaugural wines were made in 2010, when winemaker Riana van der Merwe joined the project for the first vintage. The focus from the outset was on four grape varieties suited to the cool maritime climate: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, and Sauvignon Blanc. Shaw's Mountain rises to the north and the Teslaarsdal Mountains to the south, funnelling cool Atlantic breezes through the valley and ensuring slow, even ripening — the key to the natural acidity and finesse that define Seven Springs wines.

In 2018, the Pearsons built their own winery at Sandfontein Farm, just one kilometre from the vineyard, giving them complete control over the winemaking process. The wines have since earned praise from critics including Tom Cannavan, who highlighted their elegance and site expression. Seven Springs Syrah, in particular, has drawn attention for its peppery, cool-climate character — a world away from the rich, warm-climate Shiraz of Stellenbosch or Paarl.

Sustainability runs through the operation. The Pearsons use minimal pesticides and fertilisers, allowing the shale soils and maritime influence to speak through the wines without interference. The Pinot Noir, in particular, shows the delicacy and red-fruit purity that only comes from genuinely cool sites, while the Chardonnay offers citrus and mineral complexity without the heaviness that warm climates can impose.

The tasting room is a relaxed, intimate space where visitors can sample the full range while taking in views of the surrounding mountains and vineyards. Tastings are offered at R120 per person, and the boutique scale means the experience is personal rather than production-line. It is a place that rewards the journey along the R320 — a winery where cool-climate precision meets genuine warmth of welcome, and where every bottle tells the story of a landscape transformed from cattle pasture to one of the Overberg's most promising vineyard sites.