When you live in a valley called Heaven and Earth, on virgin territory that you have clothed in young vines, it seems logical to name your winery Creation.
Today, its four owners are hosting an al fresco lunch to celebrate both the completion of their hi-tech cellar and the launch of four wines. Creation is not far from Hermanus, along the Hemel en Aarde road, and visitors pass illustrious neighbours like Bouchard Finlayson, Hamilton Russell, Whalehaven and Ataraxia to reach them.
Here, in 2002, Carolyn and Jean-Claude Martin bought a small tract of land 5km from the ocean, backed by the Babylon Toren, loftiest peak in the Steenboksberg. She is the daughter of Walter Finlayson, one of the Cape wine industry's pioneers and true gentlemen. He is a Swiss winemaker who had long dreamed of exchanging work in his ancient cellar at Grillette for winemaking in Cape sunshine.
To realise this dream he planted 22ha with virus-free clones of carefully selected cultivars which flourished in this virgin land.
Jean-Claude's old friend and colleague, Christoph, and his wife, Heidi Kaser, joined the Martins as co-partners in 2005, after which a custom-designed cellar was commissioned and completed in time for last year's harvest.
Heidi Kaser turned her talents as a landscape gardener and horticulturist to good use, designing and planting a fragrant fynbos garden around the cellar, which has just been voted the best farm garden in the Overberg by the local Agri West Cape organisation.
This is where the partners will host visitors this season, for tastings, food and wine pairings and for deli platters on the terrace. The rustic lunches, which require prior booking, will continue until mid-January. Anneli and Andre van Vuuren, who are catering, are also opening their own restaurant this month, called Season, just down the road from the farm.
Newly released sauvignon blanc (R78) offers both green and tropical fruit flavours along with a distinct mineral note.The 2008 viognier (R80) is young, crisp, fruity, again with minerality, in nice contrast to those heavily perfumed examples, although the alcohol levels are high at 14,5 percent.
From the 2007 vintage, there's the first Bordeaux-style blend grown and produced in the Hemel-en-Aarde, made from cab, merlot and 18 percent petit verdot, priced at R124. For the same price, the Creation syrah has been lent interest with a splash of grenache, a Mediterranean heat-loving grape much used in blends. Both the reds have spent 14 months in French oak.
Back on the coast road, past Hermanus, beyond the perlemoen region around Gansbaai, between Pearly Beach and Struisbaai, you will find signposts pointing to Die Dam at Quoin Point. From here it's a few kilometres inland to the Strandveld Vineyards, formerly called Agulhas Wines, an operation that has not taken long to wow the world with their outstanding sauvignon blancs.
The proximity to the sea is evident in Strandveld's Adamastor 2007 (R95) launched last month, a flinty, figgy, creamy blend of sauvignon and semillon, sporting stickers proclaiming its success in this year's Terroir Wine Awards, Swiss Airlines Awards and Michaelangelo contests - and surely destined for further success. Tastings are free and the cellar is now open on Saturdays until 3pm.
Moving up the R317 to Bredasdorp, across the N2 at Stormsvlei and on to Bonnievale and the Breede river valley, fans of chenin blanc will find some enjoyable and very affordable examples in a region not renowned for this cultivar. Near Bonnievale, the Van Zylshof estate has seen three generations of (who else?) Van Zyls produce vintages of down-to-earth, fruity wines that please customers in the Benelux countries as they do local fans. The '08 chenin is, like its predecessors, good value at R28, offering loads of fruity charm.
Just outside Robertson, the Cloverfield cellar has established its reputation for delicious chardonnay, but don't miss out on their new chenin (R25), a delightful, frisky, fruity wine perfect for warm days and hot nights. The hospitable Marais family also runs an informal restaurant at the winery.
Perdeberg Winery's chenins, long popular with those in the know, became national favourites with a big-time marketing campaign last year. But the 2008 is still good value at R21,50 ex-cellar, offering a straightforward quaffer that is both aperitif and accompaniment to pizza and pasta and salads.
The 2009 Best Value Wine Guide comes free with the November issue of WINE magazine this year and is, as always, a must-have reference source for canny winelovers.
This year they raised the cut-off level to R59, meaning that some inclusions could fall into a category way beyond what some of us called budget buys. The team assessed some 70-odd chenins that were submitted by producers, and there are certainly bargains listed - Brandvlei's BC chenin 2008 at an astonishing R14,50 and Villiersdorp at R20.
- The SA National Wine Show Association is overseeing the celebration of 350 years of winemaking in South Africa in 2009. A logo and website have been registered, two books will be published next year and Groot Constantia, home of our oldest winery, is planning a major event for early February.
- The association is asking producers for a voluntary contribution of R350 for each brand to offset expenses and also welcomes comments and suggestions from all in the industry on proposed plans and events. Wines of South Africa (Wosa) will produce a brochure for local and international use in January. Telephone Patricia Jordaan on 021 807 3237 or email her on [email protected]