The power of passion
Discover the world of Red CarnationBouchard Finlayson
Hermanus, Western Cape
A vineyard between heaven & earth
Cradled amid the hills of the Hemel-en-Aarde (Heaven and Earth) valley,
Bouchard Finlayson is widely acclaimed as one of South Africa’s leading boutique wine cellars.
With a terroir defined by both ancient soils and a cool maritime climate, the vineyards of Bouchard Finlayson are famous for producing award-winning
Pinot Noir, elegant Chardonnay and terroir-driven Sauvignon Blanc, while inspired blends showcase the depth of skill and innovation in our winemaking team.
The Bouchard Finlayson cellar is conveniently located a scenic 90 minutes’ drive from Cape Town, close to the world-famous whale-watching centre of Hermanus.
Take a tour
Explore our five-star hotel with exceptional heritage
The power of passion
"The Rubens at the Palace has a royal history dating back to the 1700s. Over the years, it has been used as a dressmaker’s boutique, a pharmacy, an artificial flower shop and as the home of the Aerated Bread Company. It has been family-run by The Red Carnation Hotel Collection since 1997 and I have been General Manager since 2004.
The Rubens has always been very popular with debutantes attending royal functions at Buckingham Palace. The Royal Mews, which the hotel overlooks, is the palace entrance used by the royal family. It is also just a few moments’ walk to see the daily pageant of the Changing of the Guard.
The hotel’s historic roots inspired the design for its restoration in 2018, which also introduced the English Grill, the Curry Room, the Leopard Bar and the New York Bar. We were incredibly proud that the hotel achieved a Forbes Five-Star classification in the same year.
We are committed to supporting local charities and eradicating single-use plastics, as well as significantly reducing our food waste in partnership with Winnow. The hotel also sustains the largest Living Wall in London and has recently introduced two rooftop beehives.
Alongside our renowned gin tasting, we have recently launched several bespoke dining experiences such as ‘Chef Kumar’s Secret Spice’ and, for our younger guests, we offer the exciting children’s ‘Pastry Experience’ and ‘Milkshake Masterclass’. We hope to share these incredible experiences with you very soon."
- Malcolm Hendry, General Manager
