The morning air buzzed with anticipation as we walked through the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) to our stand (B42), surrounded by winemakers, journalists, trade and wine lovers from across the globe. For Creation Wines, this isn’t just another trade show, it’s a celebration of connections that span continents and cultures.
Our day began with an unexpected joy: a business interview with my cousin Peter Allan Finlayson of Crystallum and Gabriëlskloof fame, once again exhibiting with the zany Zoo Corp of independent winemakers. There’s something magical about blending family bonds with professional passion, discussing the intricacies of the wine business while surrounded by the energy of South Africa’s premier wine event. Our ‘Business of Wine’ conversation flowed as naturally as a well-aged vintage, touching on industry insights that only family can share with complete honesty.
As the morning unfolded, our Creation stand became a crossroads of the wine world. Our very first taster of the day was Lars Daniels from Perswijn magazine in the Netherlands, a country that has embraced our Creation wines with the kind of sophisticated appreciation that makes our winemaker hearts sing. Working with Vinites and our Dutch clients is such a joy, and journalists like Lars represent not just a market, but a community of wine lovers who understand that great wine transcends borders.
Julie Sheppard from Decanter appeared early in the day, her credentials as regional editor for Australia, New Zealand & South Africa lending weight to every conversation. Her questions about our sustainable practices and Glenn Martin’s fourth-generation heritage weren’t just professional curiosity, but the start of stories that could reach Decanter’s global readership.
Then we met Jimmy Smith, the renowned wine educator whose podcasts reach eager ears across the globe. Our conversation sparked discussions about storytelling in wine – how terroir translates not just into taste, but also into narratives that connect people to place. The authentic story of our Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge suddenly felt more powerful when viewed through an educator’s lens.
The afternoon brought Robert Mathias MW from fine wine merchants Lay and Wheeler. Notably the world’s youngest Master of Wine, he brought with him the gravitas of the UK’s fine wine trade. Meeting him felt like validation that our wines deserve a place amongst the world’s finest.
He was followed by Richard Siddle from The Buyer – one of the most well-read trade publications, keeping a finger on the pulse of the wine world’s market dynamics. His questions weren’t only about our wines, but also about market trends, pricing strategies, and the broader forces shaping our industry. Speaking with Richard felt like tapping into global wine commerce, understanding not just where our wines stand today, but where the market is heading tomorrow.
The Dutch connection deepened when Monique from KLM surprised us with traditional stroopwafels – a sweet reminder that hospitality flows both ways at Cape Wine. Then Melania EunSoo Joo, our agent from South Korea, continued her tradition of bringing thoughtful gifts, treasures that speak of the care and attention our international partners show Creation Wines.
Between all the international visitors, one of Cape Wine’s greatest joys is catching up with so many friends from across the South African wine industry – colleagues we rarely see all gathered in one place, sharing stories, challenges, and successes over glasses of wine that represent our collective passion.
As evening approached, the true magic of Cape Wine 2025 revealed itself. Our Belgian and Swedish agents popped over to see us, and we felt blessed that they had already spent time at Creation, as this meant they could share our story from personal experience. We also saw our friends from the Roots Fund in the USA; they had visited Creation shortly before Cape Wine, bringing that wonderful continuity that makes these relationships so meaningful. Hallgarten & Novum, our UK agents, have also made a tremendous effort to come out with clients and visit us at Creation, and seeing them at Cape Wine was the perfect continuation and commitment.
Other highlights included reconnecting with all the Mauritian sommeliers we entertained earlier in the week, alongside Chardonnay Association attendees and many we recognised from the Hemel-en-Aarde event – all visiting our stand to taste a more comprehensive range of our wines.
Cape Wine’s theme of ‘Our Warmest Welcome’ is easy when you have the warmest people to welcome! Our friends from Tanzania shared stories of emerging wine culture in East Africa. Colleagues from Nigeria and Ghana spoke of growing appreciation for quality wines across West Africa. Japanese visitors brought their meticulous attention to detail and deep respect for craftsmanship.
Each conversation was a thread in a tapestry that stretched from our Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge to the four corners of the earth. We weren’t just presenting our bottles – we were sharing our story with a global family united by a love of wine.
As the sun set over Table Mountain, the day’s theme became clear to us: Creation’s philosophy of ‘Connect, Collaborate, Innovate’ isn’t just our approach, but also perfectly aligned with the living reality of what Cape Wine 2025 represents. In a world that sometimes feels divided, wine remains a universal language of celebration, craftsmanship, and connection.
Cape Wine 2025 proves that when you craft wines with authentic passion and respect for terroir, the world comes to you. And when the world comes to you, extraordinary things become possible.
The conversations will continue long after the last glass is poured, and each new connection is a seed planted for future collaborations that will carry our Creation story far beyond the beautiful slopes of the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge.
Cape Wine 2025 will continue until tomorrow, Friday 12 September. Come and visit us at stand B42!