INTERNATIONAL Pinot Noir Day on August 18 (this Sunday) is an opportunity to celebrate one of the world’s most complex and elegant grape varieties. Creation is proud to produce Pinot Noirs that reflect the unique terroir of the Hemel-en–Aarde Ridge and the influence of the cool climate of Walker Bay.
“We believe that a truly exceptional Pinot Noir is a reflection of its environment,” says JC Martin, cellar master of Creation Wines, who talks more about his favourite red wine here.
Creation Wines celebrates the natural biodiversity of its pristine environment, ideal for growing and producing stand-out Pinot Noir. The Creation Reserve Pinot Noir 2022 and The Art of Creation Pinot Noir 2023 are two exceptional wines that showcase the unique terroir of the Hemel-en-Aarde.
The Hemel-en-Aarde, meaning “Heaven and Earth”, is a wine district renowned for producing world-class Pinot Noir. Its cool maritime climate, clay-rich soils and diverse topography combine to create ideal conditions for cultivating this challenging grape variety. It also happens to be one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. For this reason, Creation’s vineyards are meticulously tended, with a focus on sustainable practices to preserve the delicate balance of the ecosystem.
Creation is defined by South Africa’s Wine of Origin (WO) Scheme as a wine estate, which means its wines are grown, vinified and bottled on-site by a permanent and dedicated team. Throughout the growing season, the same people prune the vines, do the suckering and pick the grapes to ensure the highest quality fruit. Being an estate also allows Creation to work on research projects, such as tracking its vineyards over time with researchers from Stellenbosch University. Thanks to a long-standing collaboration with Vititec (since inception in 2002), Creation works with clean, virus-free material and this gives it a distinct advantage in terms of vine health and therefore grape and ultimately wine quality.
Creation’s estate and wines consistently impress international Masters of Wine, such as Switzerland-based Robin Kick MW who praised the “incredible” landscape and the “beautiful” lift, perfume, freshness and texture of the Pinot Noirs, while Jean-Michel Valette MW shared his insights regarding the ancient soils – the oldest in the world – and the balance and purity of the wines.
The Art of Creation Pinot Noir 2023 (R970 ex-cellar) is an elegant and complex wine that showcases the Hemel-en-Aarde’s hallmark red fruit and spice aromas. The limited-release Creation Reserve Pinot Noir 2022 (R450 ex-cellar) is a rich and structured wine with layers of complexity and a long, satisfying finish.
These two Pinot Noirs exemplify Creation’s commitment to producing exceptional wines that reflect the unique character of the terroir and JC’s passion.
To buy the wines, click here.
