With its launch timed as a prelude to this year’s FynArts Festival, the anticipation surrounding Creation’s new ‘Story’ menu is mounting. And so is the excitement elicited by Nanette Ranger’s exquisite sculptures already gracing the Creation Fynbos Garden. Add to these the magical chords compiled by local sound designer Ivo Ivanov, and it becomes abundantly clear that you can look forward to an amazing sensory experience: ‘Integration at Creation’.

Never prepared to rest on their laurels and always eager to treat their guests to new culinary adventures, the Creation team have just relaunched their Charcuterie Pairing Menu. The new offering features a feast of four courses, each comprising an award-winning Creation wine perfectly paired with an artisanal meat cut and accompanying side dishes.

Always in search of new flavour adventures and intriguing combinations, Creation’s Carolyn Martin and Daniela Messina recently took to the culinary highways and byways of Europe once more. This time to Tallinn, Wroclaw, Tønsberg, Brummen, Haarlem, London, Chilworth and Marazion.   What follows is an abridged version of their inspirational journey.

That Creation wines are delightfully versatile and food friendly is no secret. This is thanks to the refreshing natural acidity, the multifaceted complexity and the excellent balance of these cool-climate wines. Add to this owner Carolyn Martin’s passion for flavour profiling and it’s also no wonder that the estate is regarded as a trendsetter in the field of wine and food pairing.

Creation Wines in the Hemel-en-Aarde valley has long been a favourite destination for its exceptional wines and innovative and creative food pairings. Now, with the recent completion of the self-catering “Voormanshuis” you can enjoy the serenity of spending a night there in the vineyards.

When recently asked why he returned to Creation for a second harvest, German intern Max Fredrich’s spontaneous reply was that “at Creation the mood is always good”!

Sunday, 24 March saw the fifth annual South Africa vs the Rest of the World tasting organised by Tim Atkin MW and Samantha O’Keefe of Lismore in Greyton. A total of 35 Chardonnays were blind tasted, 22 from South Africa and 13 from the rest of the world.

“The quality of the Pinot Noir parcel allocated to me showed great potential and I could not have asked for a better year to make my first barrel,” says an enthusiastic Urle Hansen upon pressing the grapes for his maiden wine. The Hemel-en-Aarde of course is renowned for top quality Pinot Noir which happens to be Urle’s favourite cultivar; small wonder therefore that having been offered the opportunity to make his own wine, Urle chose Pinot Noir.

It is 5h30 am on Monday, 18 March and at Creation, on the scenic Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, the anticipation runs high.  Yes, the harvest is in full swing, meaning that eager beavers move into the vineyards at the crack of dawn to ensure that the grapes reach the cellar in prime condition. But on this particular morning, there is something else in the air …

With Creation enjoying such a proud reputation for wine and food pairing – among others a four-times winner of the prestigious KLINK ‘Great Pairings’ award  –  it is not surprising that the team has a natural affinity for sommeliers! Hence the day-long Creation ‘Sommelier Sojourn’ which took place in February and was attended by nine of South Africa’s finest sommeliers.