Red Tape : The Untold Story of a Visionary South African’s Battle Against Bureaucracy, and The Birth of a World-Renowned Wine Region

In the 1970s, South Africa’s wine industry was a closed shop – dominated by monopolies, Afrikaner 
nationalism and Apartheid-era control. Red Tape tells the remarkable story of Tim Hamilton Russell, a 
maverick entrepreneur and founder of Hamilton Russell Vineyards, who was determined to challenge 
this status quo. Defying restrictive laws, industry boycotts, and scepticism from the establishment, Tim 
pursued his vision to plant noble grape varietals in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley – a region few believed 
in – proving the country could produce world-class table wines. 
This richly detailed account, written by his daughter Bridgid Hamilton-Russell, uncovers the political 
obstacles he faced, the court battles he waged, and the legacy he built in establishing a wine region 
now recognised worldwide. Blending biography, social history, and an insider’s view of a transformative 
era, Red Tape reveals how courage and vision can reshape an industry.