Country: South Africa
Region: Walker  Bay
Style: Maritime Sauvs

Anthony Hamilton Russel was scuba diving in Walker Bay early in 1992 when a giant Southern Right whale swam up to him and began lifting him out of the ocean with its massive head. Over the tense 10 minutes that followed, Anthony swam calmly around the whale as it nudged him with its head, bumped him with its belly, and swiped at him with its pectoral fins. Only after finally surfacing and returning to his boat did he notice another unexpected visitor nearby: a 15 foot long Great White shark lurking on the other side of the whale. To this day, Anthony is convinced that this heroic whale shielded him from a deadly attack from the menacing shark. After founding his new winery in the cool maritime climate of Hemel en Aarde, he named it after his aquatic guardian angel and has been making world renowned Sauvignon Blancs ever since.