Top non-bordeaux blend
If you’ve ever met the Martins from Creation Wines, you’ll know that JC (Jean-Claude) and Carolyn are an animated duo whose energy levels seem infinite. The fervour with which they tackle the making and marketing of this winery’s produce really is infectious, and chances are that once you’ve made the journey to the tasting room at the foot of Babylon Toren peak, you’ll be mesmerised.
The tasting room, which boasts vistas that stretch across the Walker Bay valley, is a visitors’ haven, where groups, couples and individuals easily while away an afternoon matching delectable bitesized snacks with the wines on offer – and, more often than not, you’ll find the Martin couple in the tasting room as well, engaging with consumers and having an equally fun time.
The comfort in this is that the scene at Creation is not just a spiel – considering Wine magazine’s category reviews over the past year – and a trip to Creation Wines in the upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley is clearly warranted.
They have come an astonishing long way, considering that it was just 10 years ago that this plot of land was grazing for sheep. Trained viticulturist and wine maker JC was adamant that virgin soils and cool-climate conditions were pre requisites for establishing a working winery and, considering the winery’s long list of stellar ratings, he was right.
The Martins partnered with Christoph Kaser and his wife Heidi to manage this plot of virgin soil and, although they were enthusiastic about their venture, it is doubtful whether even the ever-optimistic Carolyn could have predicted the winery’s success. Today the Swiss-South African wine team manage 22 hectares of vineyards. White varieties are well represented with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Viognier, while the red front is comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Shiraz, Grenache and Pinot Noir, the latter grouping in particular bringing home the laurels.
In March this year, Creation’s Merlot 2009 emerged as the top performer in the annual category review, a feat that was followed by a 4-Star rating for the winery’s Bordeaux-style red blend. In the latest non-Bordeaux-style red blends category review, the winery again proved its worth when two of its wines were rated top-quality by panel members.
The Creation Syrah Grenache 2009 was rated 4 Stars, with the definitive rating of 5 Stars bestowed on the winery’s new label, Whale Pod Syrah Malbec 2010.
The Whale Pod idea was initially conceptualised as an export-only label to Swiss and Belgian markets in 2008, but, reveals JC, considering the wine’s big appeal internationally, thought was put into a local release: “We identified a growing market: the younger generation, who can’t afford to pay huge prices for wines.”
South Africans were introduced to the Whale Pod Syrah Malbec 2010, with its whale illustrations on the label, at the annual Hermanus Whale Festival last year. “A more easily accessible wine, also in terms of its drinkability,” this wine is also quite a snip at R69.50 a bottle. This price point might cause some snobs to ponder whether this wine is the result of bin-end blending, although JC stresses that this is not the case: “While the Creation Syrah Grenache has always been one of our key wines, it is not treated much differently in the cellar from the Whale Pod; it might be our second label but that doesn’t mean quality should be compromised.”
In fact, says this winemaker, with this terroir it is difficult to produce an inferior wine. Clay soils allow for deep root systems, which means vineyards are not overstressed, and the generous climatic fluctuation between mornings and afternoons allows for steady ripening periods, resulting in grapes with “deep colour, fruit flavour and intensity”.
Grapes are mainly sourced from Creation’s vineyards, with the Malbec grapes farmed at neighbouring farm Babylonstoren, owned by Johan Holtzhausen. The fruit for the Creation and Whale Pod blends is sourced from different respective vineyards, and the labels are similarly subjected to separate treatment in cellar. The rather small cellar setup at Creation Wines allows the.winemakers to focus on the individual wines – there’s no wine born from a mishap here.
It really comes down to structure; the Creation blend is aged in some new.wood, while only very old barrels are.used in the treatment for the Whale.Pod red. “This results in the Creation Syrah Grenache having a denser tannin structure than the Whale.Pod, which isn’t really intended to age for 10.years, and is more readily drinkable,” explains JC.
Another aspect of the Whale Pod is that no two vintages would be the same. While a portion of the blend will always comprise Shiraz, the balance will be at.the winemaker’s discretion.
What he does promise, however, is that wines from Creation, whatever form they take, will just keep getting better and better. “We are not at our peak yet, considering some of the vines are just about eight years old, [wines] can just get better as the vines mature.”
But where does a wine farm go when it.is already at the top of its game?
“I don’t know,” answers JC, “but I.think it is a good worry to have.”
CREATION WINES
Cellar: Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, Walker Bay
GPS: S 34° 19’51.5” E 019° 19’33.8”
Tel: 028 212 1107 or 072 673 1880
info@creationwines.com
www.creationwines.com
Owners: JC and Carolyn Martin; Heidi Kellerhals Kaser and Christoph Kaser
Winemakers: Christoph Kaser, JC Martin with Kevin Baatjies
Viticulturist: JC Martin and Christoph Kaser, advised by Johan Pienaar
Sales/visits: Monday to Saturday, 10:00 to 17:00, Sunday 10:00 to 16:00 (open public holidays)
Tasting fee: None
Tours: By arrangement
Total production: 70 tonnes/ 5 000 cases
White wines: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Semillon
Red wines: Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Petit Verdot, Syrah, Syrah/Grenache Vine density: 3 500/ha on slopes up to 350m above sea level
Soils: Heavy clay with an overlay of shale (decomposed Bokkeveld shale)
