Enchanting Pact of the Breezes
Many a moon and many a tide ago, in an enchanting little enclave near the sea, the breezes off the ocean made a pact. Every afternoon at an appointed time, they would chase the clouds high, high up to the peak of a nearby mountain and set them dancing and swirling, churning and whirling in a spectacle too wondrous to describe.
Elevation of Pinot Noir Excellence
From the lofty Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, a stone’s throw from the sapphire waters of Walker Bay, comes a Pinot Noir of great distinction, rare balance, elegance and finesse. Inspired by nature, it is the ultimate expression of place and provenance. Meticulously crafted by Cellarmaster Jean-Claude (JC) Martin, it is an exquisite and multifaceted work of art in its own right. According to JC it is thanks to the amazing thermal vortex - a fanlike cooling effect off the Babylonstoren Mountain - that Creation’s Pinot Noir vines thrive on the slopes below, patiently ripening their fruit to flavourful, well-balanced perfection. Creation’s unique setting combines close proximity to the cold Atlantic Ocean (only 9km away) with an elevation of 300m. The average day temperature during the growing period is between 22°–26°C with the cool night index being 12°C less than midday. But there’s more: when planting his maiden Pinot Noir vines in 2002, JC selected a southeast-facing slope where the estate’s 450-million-year-old decomposed Bokkeveld shale over clay-loam soils are ideally suited to growing Pinot Noir of exceptional quality. Having expertly considered soil, aspect and row direction, JC selected Dijon clone 115 for its suitability to the terroir. Now 20 years old, these virus-free vines yield healthy grapes of which only a small pocket within the single vineyard is selected for the Art of Pinot Noir. The grapes are hand-harvested and 60% whole-bunch, spontaneously fermented in large foudre. Maturation takes place in 40% new and 60% second-fill French oak barrels for 12 months.
The Prince of Red Wine
The Creation Art of Pinot Noir is a barrel-selection wine and a mere 4,200 individually numbered bottles were released, making the 2021 vintage a highly sought-after choice on the connoisseur wine list. Behind every bottle of Creation Art of Pinot Noir is the provenance of a terroir, world-famous for this cultivar, a cellar master who strives to express the beauty of nature, and a pedigree of accolade upon accolade awarded by internationally esteemed wine masters. We call it the ‘Prince of Red Wine’, but …you be the judge!
