2024 Creation Estate Cool-Climate Chenin Blanc

The Chenin grapes for the Creation Cool Climate Chenin Blanc come from a 15-year-old vineyard in the higher - and therefore cooler - part of the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. The grapes are gently pressed and carefully vinified in 228-litre oak barrels. After fermentation, the wine is left to mature on the yeast cells ('sur lie') for another eight months. This gives the wine extra complexity and makes the wine rounder in taste. The malolactic conversion is blocked, so that the wine retains its fresh acidity. It is a wine that is as remarkable in its purity as it is in its complexity.

A Chenin blanc in its purest form with a beautiful golden yellow color in the glass. In the nose aromas of soft ginger, tomato leaf, apple peel and a light hint of honey. In the mouth this Chenin is a pure and at the same time complex wine. Crispy quince, fresh green apple and the creaminess of coconut milk in the background. This is perhaps the most delicate wine from Creation Estate from the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, South Africa.

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1. Grilled chicken with lemon and thyme

The fresh acidity of the Chenin Blanc complements the light acidity of the lemon and brings balance to the juicy chicken. Thyme enhances the spicy notes in the wine without being overpowering.

2. Baked cod with fennel and orange

White fish requires a wine with good acidity and precision. The fennel brings a soft aniseed touch that fits nicely with the spicy element of the wine, while orange accentuates the fruity notes.

3. Goat cheese salad with pear and walnuts

Chenin Blanc is a classic pairing with goat cheese. The fresh acidity cuts through the creamy character of the cheese, while pear and walnut provide texture and a light sweetness that complements the fruit profile of the wine.

4. Thai green curry with shrimp

The wine can surprisingly handle spicy and slightly spicy dishes. The acidity refreshes the palate and the fruitiness softens the heat of the chili, while the shrimp complements the refinement of the wine.

5. Pasta with green asparagus, lemon and Parmesan

Green asparagus and lemon call for a wine with structure and liveliness. The Parmesan gives the dish just enough umami to add depth without overwhelming the wine.

6. Ravioli with lobster, beurre blanc and dill

The creamy sauce and refined lobster structure call for a wine that has enough acidity to refresh, but also shows a certain elegance. The dill enhances the fresh spiciness of the wine and makes it extra exciting.

These pairings show just how versatile a fresh, cool-climate Chenin Blanc can be. Some dishes are surprisingly luxurious, combining elements that are off the beaten path, but that’s precisely why they work so well with this wine.

About Creation Estate

When Jean-Claude (JC) and Carolyn Martin took on the challenge of starting a winery in a remote corner of the Walker Bay Wine Region in 2002, it was quite exciting. Vines had never been planted here before, but JC and Carolyn - both scions of well-known wine families - were determined and convinced of the potential of the area. Together they founded Creation Estate in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. Five years later, in 2007, the first harvest took place and they equipped the cellar with the best equipment from Germany, France and Switzerland. Since then, they have been working hard. Not only with their quality wines, but also the tasting room has made a name for itself.

Today, Creation Estate has 50 hectares of vineyards in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. JC and Carolyn’s philosophy for making wine is based on “enhancing the beauty of nature”. It is all about the quality of the grapes, not the tricks that can be performed in the cellar. “Winemaking is a delicate art that must be reserved in order to capture the nuances of the origin”, says JC Martin. Terroir is important at Creation Estate. Not surprisingly, because the combination of higher vineyards and the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean creates a unique microclimate in Walker Bay. In addition, JC Martin works with wild yeast cells instead of commercially developed ones, read more about this on our news page.

In 2019, the township of Overstrand Hermanus in South Africa was awarded the UNESCO ‘Creative City status for Gastronomy’! This is one of only 10 cities worldwide and the first on the African continent to receive this distinction. For the winery Creation, and many other individuals and boutique producers in the region, this is a tribute to their contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

About Heaven and Earth Valley

Creation Estate is located in the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, a sub-area within the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. It is located approximately twenty kilometres from Hermanus, the coastal town on Walker Bay that is also known as the 'whale capital' of South Africa. The Atlantic Ocean not only ensures that the whales happily bob around here, it also provides an ideal climate for wine growing. It is warm, but it rarely gets warmer than thirty degrees during the growing season. This is due to the fresh sea breeze and the fact that the vineyards of Creation Estate are slightly higher than most vineyards in the area. The grapes are given the opportunity to ripen optimally, but retain their fresh acidity thanks to the cool nights. The soil also plays an important role in this. The vineyards have a clay-derived slate soil, called Bokkeveld. It prevents water stress and makes the vines less vigorous, which in turn contributes to the slow ripening of the grapes (due to the slow release of groundwater). In short, Creation Estate has a unique terroir in the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. They know how to translate this into full, but at the same time elegant wines with ripe fruit aromas, fresh acids and a beautiful minerality.