Which producer focuses on Pinot Noir more than any other? Which producer works with the very best vineyards in SA’s greatest Pinot Noir region? Which producer focuses on fruit purity and acidity ahead of sweetness and oak? Which producer sells out faster than any other?

We believe that Hannes Storm is the clear answer here and his new set of 2018 Pinots are completely thrilling. The wines are an obvious comparison to Burgundy in style but their pricing doesn’t compare. Recent depreciation of the ZAR means that similar quality in the Côte-d’Or is 2-3 times the price… at least.

The 2018 Vrede Pinot Noir was the joint top-scoring Pinot in the Tim Atkin 2019 SA Special Report. Is this SA’s greatest Pinot Noir? Very likely! It offers unbelievable purity, poise and a savoury kick that delivers beguiling depth and supreme length.

The Platter’s 5-star Upper Hemel-en-Aarde 2018 Ignis Pinot Noir was farmed organically on granitic soils and is drop-dead gorgeous. The nose is so haunting, in fact, that you want to climb into the glass and absorb as much of its dazzling perfume as possible. Long and silky, it’s more approachable than the Vrede, making it difficult to put your glass down!

The 2018 Ridge Pinot Noir expresses the purity of fruit like no other. Lighter in character, it is tightly mineral and yet wonderfully concentrated. It’s the most elegant of the three.

Hannes’ Chardonnays were particularly low-yielding in 2019 and there are just 75 cases of the 2019 Vrede Chardonnay. It’s rich and board textured from the clay soils, offering serious acidity and structure. It will require a few years’ patience.

Lastly, the new addition to the line-up is the 2019 Ridge Chardonnay. Sourced from the cool slopes at the top of Hemel-en-Aarde, I can’t help but think of Corton-Charlemagne when drinking this new cuvée. It’s sleek, mineral and refined with huge depth and incredible detail – a sensational debut.

For a more in-depth commentary, watch my new video on Instagram TV.

Storm Wines, Vrede Pinot Noir 2018
How time has flown! This is now the eighth release of Vrede, grown on clay rich soils at the lower end of the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. North-facing at the top of the slope, it's Hannes Storm's plushest Pinot, with good density and structure, artfully integrated oak and an earthy bass note. Drink 2021-28. – Tim Atkin MW, 96/100

Storm Wines, Ignis Pinot Noir 2018
This The 3 Storm Pinots treated identically in the cellar (except for 3% variance in new-oak portion) to express terroir. From more light-structured decomposed granite of Upper Hemel-en-Aarde, Ignis more fruit forward than siblings & thus more approachable in youth but with such precise acid tension it could easily prove the most long-lived. 2018 exceptional pure-fruited charm... 30% new wood. – Platter's Guide, 5* (96/100)

Storm Wines, Ridge Pinot Noir 2018
Block 1 at La Vierge is the source of this Ridge Pinot Noir, planted in 2010 with clones 113 and 115. It's the lightest, tautest and most aromatic of Hannes Storm's enviable range, with herbal, scented, wild strawberry fruit and a dusting of whole bunch spices. Drink 2021-27. – Tim Atkin MW, 94/100

Storm Wines, Vrede Chardonnay 2019
Just 75 cases of this special wine were produced. Much like the Pinot Noir, this is a powerful expression of Chardonnay with more texture, oak and richness than the Ridge. Meursault-like nuttiness, ripe yellow fruits and a bright acidity are not quite knit as yet. The structure and fruit integrity is, of course, there and it will show best in 3-5 years. Another fine Chardonnay from Storm. – Roland Peens (April 2020)

Storm Wines, Ridge Chardonnay 2019
Wow, this is a scintillating new wine from Hannes Storm! More chiselled and fine compared to the Vrede, it shows a coiled acidity and just incredible depth. Think Corton-Charlemagne with its white fruits, minerally guise and superb layers. Another Chardonnay at the top of the pile. – Roland Peens (April 2020)