Last week I had the pleasure of partaking in the panel discussions hosted by the World’s Best Vineyards (WBV) in Rioja, Spain. WBV is an annual listing that highlights the best winery destinations and experiences in the world. The list spans five continents and is created after the nominations of some 500 wine, travel and wine tourism experts have been counted and collated. Voters are asked to nominate the overall experiences they consider to be the best in the world and that they personally would recommend.
Our panel discussions focused on ‘How do we make wine tourism more sustainable?’ with the aim to inspire and stimulate delegates regarding best sustainable practices in wine tourism. The keynote speaker was Dr Laura Catena, a fourth generation Argentine vintner, physician and author who is often referred to as ‘the face of Argentine wine’.
I was invited to deliver a paper during the first round of our discussions, which I titled ‘Place, People and Purpose’. Here are some extracts.
I’ll start off by painting a picture of the place that is Creation. Our farm is situated in the Hemel-en-Aarde region of the Cape Winelands. Hemel-en-Aarde of course means ‘Heaven and Earth’ and can be found in the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom, in one of the most biodiverse wine regions in the world.
On arrival, there’s Nature’s spectacular greeting: towering mountain peaks linking the earth to the sky; undulating hills of flourishing fynbos with in between, our vineyards. The Tasting Room, which is elevated among the vineyards, has been recently refurbished to create a seamless indoor-outdoor sense of spaciousness and light. The new furniture is ergonomically designed and while settling in comfortably, you become aware of a subtle salty tang in the air, breezing in from the nearby Atlantic Ocean.
I believe one of the key factors of sustainable wine tourism is our focus on people. At Creation we recruit people from our immediate surrounds and offer them opportunities to advance their skills. Many graduate from floor staff to becoming chefs or sommeliers. Our training includes leadership and communication courses and lectures on mental health. The result is an extremely high retention rate; a supportive and cohesive team.
We think of our guests as informal ambassadors for Creation. This word of mouth is key to building our reputation. To embrace the concept of sustainability is to internalise the concept on every level.
Our purpose at Creation is to produce fine wine and pair it with equally fine food. This is critically important for us to grow and thrive … opening the way to a key pillar: innovation. Without innovation, we cannot be sustainable. We innovate in partnerships with scientists to ensure healthy vines.
I want to end off by saying that when you live and work in one of the most biodiverse wine regions in the world, there is not a moment when you are not conscious of what that means and the weight it carries. As winemakers in the Hemel-en-Aarde, it means a commitment to preserve our natural heritage for generations to come, and this is at the very core of the fine wines we produce, notably our Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Carolyn Martin – Creative Director and co-owner, Creation Wines