1. Terroir – Place and People
Creation lies in the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom – one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth. Our vines grow in soils including 560‑million‑year‑old quartzite and 450-million-year-old Bokkeveld shale, shaped by oceans, wind, and time.
But true custodianship is about more than geology. It’s about the people who bring this land to life.
From day one, we’ve built a permanent team of 90, many of them from nearby communities. Over time, some have become certified sommeliers, others viticulturists, all of them ambassadors for their craft. The viticultural team pruning the vines in winter, suckering them in spring, and finally harvesting the fruit ensures consistency and quality in the vineyards. And each team member supports three or four dependants, which is meaningful to the community.
For us, terroir includes the flora, the fauna, and the people. That’s why we helped establish the Pebbles Hemel‑en‑Aarde Education Centre, supporting children and youth through early learning and vocational programmes. Six graduates now work at Creation.
This is what we call regenerative leadership: empowering people to grow alongside the vines, creating a legacy for their families, their community, and this land.
2. Environmental Stewardship – In Harmony with Nature
Hallgarten & Novum’s recognition of Creation as a sustainability leader is deeply meaningful because it reflects two decades of intentional, science‑based practice.
We’ve set aside over 15 hectares solely for conservation, maintaining wildlife corridors that stretch from the mountains to the ocean, so predators such as the Cape mountain leopard can move freely. We’re proud to be WWF Conservation Champions, contributing to South Africa’s biodiversity plan for 2025–2035.
In the vineyards, we farm regeneratively. No herbicides and no tilling. Cover crops protect soil structure, while beneficial insects including ladybirds and parasitic wasps work with nature, not against it. Even our Boschveld chickens help manage pests.
On the energy side, solar power provides 70% of our needs, and nearly 90% of all waste is recycled or reused. Our wastewater passes through biological reed beds and returns safely to the land, a truly closed‑loop system.
We also partner with Stellenbosch University on projects including ClimaVin – studying the impact of climate on the biome – and we are working with ADVICO, the Advancement of Viticulture Collective, which at Creation looks at the impact of the climate on clonal selection of Chardonnay.
Creation boasts one of South Africa’s largest Chardonnay clonal gardens, which is vital for determining future suitable plantings.
We use science to understand nature better – but nature remains our compass.
3. Workforce Wellness and Community
At Creation, Wellness and Community are critical to our sustainability.
Everyone works mostly during the day – they’re generally at home with their families at night. Each person is offered two nutritious meals a day, designed in consultation with an integrative medical doctor. And crucially, we ensure access to mental‑health and occupational‑therapy support.
Through the Pebbles Project, the first 1000 days and early‑childhood development centre provides children with important skills. This gives parents peace of mind and a safe space for their children while they are at work.
Skills training for 15‑ to 25‑year‑olds, and programmes for people living with disabilities is where we recruit some of our graduates.
Today, 90 direct jobs at Creation support around 350 community members.
We’re transparent, participating in IPW (Integrated Production of Wine), SMETA (assessing responsible business practices), and Carbon Heroes audits to ensure accountability. Eighty percent of ingredients used in our seasonal pairing menus comes from within 80km of the estate.
Ultimately, our philosophy is simple: fine people create fine wines.
When our team thrives, so does the land. And that harmony finds expression…in every glass.
4. The Creation Estate Chardonnay
The Creation Estate Chardonnay is a cool‑climate wine that captures the rhythm of wind, ocean, and ancient soils.
The vineyards lie between 240 and 400 metres above sea level, close to Walker Bay. Cool maritime air slows ripening by a week or more, compared to inland regions, preserving acidity and refining texture.
The result is a wine that speaks of purity, tension and poise – think citrus, stone fruit, and a touch of sea‑spray minerality.
Beyond its profile, this wine is a story of regenerative farming, solar energy, and responsible water use. Every choice, from virus‑free propagation to a handpicked harvest sorted in the vineyard, shows up in its balance and precision.
When you taste it, you taste integrity.
If you’d like to explore any of our sustainability or community projects further, or come and see us in the Hemel‑en‑Aarde Ridge, please click here.
To all those who attended the Hallgarten & Novum tasting, thank you for caring about where your wine comes from, and the people who make it possible.