Stellenbosch sits in the shadow of dramatic mountain ranges, barely fifty kilometres east of Cape Town. Cooling breezes sweep in from False Bay, tempering the summer heat and giving grapes the slow, even ripening that builds complexity. While the region built its reputation on bold Cabernets and Bordeaux blends, its cooler pockets, particularly those exposed to Atlantic influence, are proving increasingly hospitable to Pinot Noir. Granite-based soils add mineral depth, and the sheer diversity of mesoclimates across these mountain-fringed valleys means Stellenbosch can deliver finesse just as convincingly as power.