Creation Wines Reserve Chardonnay 2020
An elegant Chardonnay with vibrant grapefruit, fragrant apple, a hint of honey and a sprinkling of cinnamon, through to a palate with mineral tension, mouth-watering acidity and a touch of oak spice.
The grapes come from a small pocket within a single vineyard where the Chardonnay vines are planted at 260m above sea level. The north-south row direction has a southern aspect, leading to slow ripening conditions, ideal for Chardonnay. The influence of the Atlantic Ocean's Benguela current brings cooling south-easterly breezes to the area, as do clouds hemmed in by the surrounding mountains, trapping cool air and moisture in the narrow Hemel-en-Aarde. The soils consist of a 590-millionyear-old quartzite seam and clay loam derived from decomposed 450-million-year-old Bokkeveld shale. The 7-wire Perold trellis training system is used as it is the most suited to the terroir. The farming methods aim to work hand-in-hand with nature, to ensure healthy soils. Organic fertilisers are used, cover crops are planted for weed control, putting back minerals and for better water retention in soil. Mechanical weed control is used instead of herbicides and the grapes are manually harvested.
The Chardonnay grapes were barrel-fermented in 30% new oak and 70% second -fill French oak barrels. The wine spent a further 10 months on the fine lees in French oak while it underwent malolactic conversion.
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Alcoholic strength | 13.5% |
| Country | South Africa |
| Region | Cape South Coast |
| Grapes | Chardonnay 100% |
| Residual sugar (g/l) | 1.7 |
| Dry/Sweet value | 1 |
| Contains sulphites | Yes |
| Vegetarian | Yes |
| Vegan | Yes |
| Milk | No |
| Eggs | No |
| Organic | No |
| Biodynamic | No |
| Closure | Diam |
It was in 2002, that Swiss-born winemaker Jean-Claude Martin and his South African wife, Carolyn discovered their little piece of paradise on the cool-climate, Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge of South Africa’s acclaimed Walker Bay. Here, in one of the most biodiverse regions on earth, virus-free vines climb the steep foothills of Babylonstoren Mountain, flourishing in ancient quartzite and clay-rich soils, cooled by breezes from the nearby Atlantic Ocean. Nature is the very inspiration and innovation that is Creation. Their winemaking philosophy of 'expressing the beauty of nature' embraces sustainability to produce a distinctive portfolio of terroir-reflective and site-specific fine wines, notably from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. As WWF Champions and Carbon Heroes, it is their intention to secure their natural heritage for future generations. Their deep-rooted sense of social responsibility has seen talented young people from surrounding communities become highly skilled team members. Their wines receive world-wide acclaim, and Creation was named No 1 in Africa and No 4 globally at the 2023 World's Best Vineyards Awards.
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