“As Creation’s vines get older, so the quality of the Pinot Noirs they produce continues to increase,” says Tim Atkin MW in his latest (2020) South Africa Special Report. And it is not only the Creation Pinot Noir that he rates highly.

Make this all-star, easy-to-follow Wild Mushroom Risotto recipe from Chef Peter Goffe-Wood.

Ask Creation viticulturist and winemaker Jean-Claude (JC) Martin about his favourite cultivar and he responds without hesitation: Pinot Noir. He loves drinking it, he loves growing it and he loves making it! Small wonder there are four Pinot Noirs in the Creation portfolio and even less wonder that the wines win accolade upon accolade, locally as well as internationally.

They say wine records and then reflects history as no vintage is ever the same. While this has mostly to do with climatic conditions, the 2020 vintage will certainly also be remembered for the challenges posed by the Covid-19 Lockdown. At Creation however, the prospects are rosy with Cellarmaster Jean-Claude (JC) Martin saying that the crop was well balanced and the quality of the grapes great.

When Overstrand Hermanus was recently (2019) awarded UNESCO Creative City status for Gastronomy, it was one of only 10 cities worldwide and the first on the African continent to receive this distinction. “What an honour to be recognised as a laboratory of ideas and innovative practices and for bringing a tangible contribution to achieving sustainable development goals that directly benefit our community,” comments Creation co-owner Carolyn Martin.

At Creation, all grapes are harvested in a time-honoured way – by hand. This is in line with co-owner Jean-Claude (JC) Martin’s respect for Mother Nature and his artisanal approach in both the vineyard and the cellar.

Creation holds the concept of ‘resonance’ near and dear as one of its four core values. “What originates in the vineyard resonates in the glass and at Creation our ultimate mission is to reflect the heart and soul of our terroir in our wines,” explains co-owner Carolyn Martin.

Established in 2014, the Cape Wine Auction Trust has been on a mission to raise money in support of education in the Cape Winelands ever since. This year’s glittering two-day event (14 and 15 February) saw Creation Wines’ eco-friendly auction lot titled ‘What a Wonderful World’, raising an amazing R340 000.

Following their popular ‘Summer Love Story’ pairing menu, the Creation Culinary Team is now pulling out all stops in celebration of Harvest 2020. And this means not only the grape vintage but also the choice fresh produce harvested from the Overberg and surrounds. Among the many treats on their brand-new menu will be sensorial tastings using key elements from the unique Creation terroir to titillate the senses, says pairing guru Carolyn Martin.

Aptly titled ‘Under Pinot Skies’, the seventh Hemel-en-Aarde Pinot Noir Celebration took place over the weekend of 24 and 25 January and once again glittered in its unique presentation.