Gordon Newton Johnson

Gordon Newton Johnson’s journey to winemaking was anything but conventional. Though he grew up among South Africa’s pioneering winemakers—his father, Dave, being a founding Cape Wine Master—Gordon initially pursued a degree in economics. However, his artistic inclinations and fascination with wine’s creative potential soon drew him back to the vineyard. A largely self-taught winemaker, Gordon refined his craft through experience in France, California, and New Zealand before taking the helm at Newton Johnson in 1999.

Joined by his wife Nadia, who became co-winemaker in 2006, Gordon has built Newton Johnson into an icon of South African wine. While their Pinot Noir garners widespread acclaim, it is their Chardonnay that has emerged as a true benchmark for the variety in the Hemel-en-Aarde region and beyond.