Our story
The Bouchard Finlayson cellar is conveniently located a scenic 90-minute drive from Cape Town, close to the world-famous whale-watching centre of Hermanus. Where tradition meets innovation, Bouchard Finlayson is both a family affair and a place of collaboration. A labour of love that sees the marriage of Old World winemaking heritage with New World innovation.
The estate was established in South Africa’s Hemel-en-Aarde valley in 1989, a ground-breaking partnership between acclaimed Burgundian winemaker, Paul Bouchard, and trailblazing local winemaker Peter Finlayson. With a shared passion for Pinot Noir, they transformed the valley’s virgin soil into vineyard and laid the foundations for the cellar of Bouchard Finlayson. In 2000 the Tollman family purchased the estate, realising a long-held dream to own a vineyard in Africa.