Hermanus – Imagine
my delight when I arrived in the Hemel en Aarde valley to discover it is the home of some of the finest pinot noirs in the country. Known as the “heartbreak grape”, the terroir in this area is well-suited to pinot, and it certainly shows in the glass.
Among the many fine wines from winemaker Jean-Claude – or JC – Martin at Creation, are some particularly fine pinot noirs.
His style is elegantly European, with white grapes like sauvignon blanc, viognier, chardonnay, semillon, and reds pinot noir, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot, syrah, grenache, and malbec. Some are bottled as single varietals, while others are blended.
At Creation everything is designed to revolve around the wines, which are the revered stars of the farm. Maybe even the glorious scenery has been mustered to provide the spectacular backdrop to your tasting experience.
There are several pairing options available – cheese or charcuterie platters, canapés, full main courses, secret pairings (where the wine is served in black glasses and it’s quite crazy how the removal of one sense can totally throw you), chocolate, a non-alcoholic tea pairing for teetotalers and designated drivers, and even a young adult pairing for under-18s.
Then there is the spectacular brunch pairing. Chef Warwick Taylor is something of a maverick and even though all these pairings are approached first from the wine angle, rather than trying to make the wine fit the food, his creativity on the plate stands side by side with the finesse of those wines.
The brunch takes place at 10am and has to be booked 48 hours in advance so Taylor can source the necessary ingredients, many of which come from local suppliers.
It comprises eight courses and is presented in true brunch style. In other words, it includes breakfast and lunch-type dishes. You begin with sauvignon blanc and one perfect oyster topped with pink grapefruit. This is followed by a fruit “salad” of paper-thin melon, apple, radish, and yes, thyme, which is paired with the sauvignon blanc semillon.
The next course excited me so much I forgot to take a photograph of it – a soft-baked egg with cheese and prosciutto. Apparently anything other than a runny egg does not sit well with the viognier.
I got back on track with course four, which was the most insane: crayfish on top of muesli, paired with chardonnay. “It is brunch, after all,” said Taylor when I expressed my amazement.
Moving on from the breakfast to the lunch part, there were gorgeous duck livers with raspberry puree, goat’s cheese, a teeny bit of onion, and duck crackling. With pinot noir it could not have been better.
The pinot noir reserve is served with a second duck dish – thinly sliced rooibos-smoked breast. Taylor’s take on bacon and eggs had my eyes rolling back in my head: soft, creamy scrambled eggs with chorizo, pork belly, and a potato croquette spiked with parma ham. It’s served with the syrah grenache.
It was with some relief that I discovered the eighth and final course to be a shot glass of liquid chocolate spiced with a hint of chilli, cinnamon, and cumin. Paired with shiraz it was oh so good.
The brunch pairing is a marathon that should enthrall all food and wine lovers. Other activities at Creation include making your own blend, which you will cork, label, and take home with you, and vineyard tours.
Creation Wines is on the Hemel & Aarde Road (R320), Hermanus. Telephone 028 212 1107, email [email protected] or see www.creationwines.com for more information.
Weekend Argus