There is a special kind of alchemy that happens when time, place and family come together in a single vineyard. Glenn’s Chardonnay is a deeply personal wine, created by Jean-Claude (JC) Martin with his son, Glenn, from a single plot in a quartz- and clay-rich vineyard high on the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. This limited-release Chardonnay represents the next generation of winemaking at Creation, combining JC’s precise Swiss approach and decades of experience with Glenn’s more recent viticulture and oenology studies and international travels.
The Vineyard
Glenn’s Chardonnay comes from the same exceptional block as The Art of Chardonnay, a small pocket within a single vineyard on the southern slopes of Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. The soil composition features seams of quartz on clay, providing the mineral backbone that defines this wine. On cool ocean-breathing slopes at an average elevation of 264 metres, the site benefits from a long ripening period, creating wines of precision and restraint that are unmistakably rooted in the Ridge.
The Winemaking Philosophy
What distinguishes Glenn’s Chardonnay from its Art of Chardonnay sibling is an annual reevaluation of decisions, no matter how small, to allow nature to guide the wine’s development and express new dimensions as vine age comes into play. The wine is hand-harvested and whole-bunch pressed, then undergoes entirely spontaneous fermentation in 50 percent second-fill and 50 percent new French oak barrels. It is left on the lees for 10 to 11 months while undergoing malolactic fermentation, building complexity and texture. Finally, it is bottled without fining or filtration, preserving its authentic character.
Tasting Profile
Translucent gold and glistening like dewdrops in the glass, Glenn’s Chardonnay reveals a magnificent composition of warm butterscotch and almond intertwined with fresh lime and delicate quince on the nose. The 2024 vintage shows a little more honeyed richness than usual, combining honeysuckle, lemon blossom, oatmeal and lemon biscuit notes with green herbs and subtle bay leaf spice. The palate offers beautiful texture, a full and fleshy mouthfeel with crisp, sour, mouthwatering acids, and a creamy finish. Appealingly savoury and textured, with layers of saffron and baking spices, and a core of stony, refreshing acidity.
Critical Acclaim
The 2024 vintage has garnered exceptional recognition from international critics, earning 96 points from Greg Sherwood MW and 95 points from Tim Atkin MW. Sherwood noted: ‘Sourced from the same block of grapes as the Art of Chardonnay, this wild ferment expression really shines in a cool, taut mineral driven vintage like 2024.’ Previously, the 2023 vintage was recognised among Decanter’s top 12 South African wines of 2025, earning an outstanding 96-point rating, with Julie Sheppard noting the wine’s ‘keen Burgundian sensibility’ and praising it as ‘detailed and beautifully textured, linear and driving’. The wine has a drinking window extending to 2034 and beyond, confirming its cellar-worthiness.
A Family Legacy
For the Martin family, this recognition is not only a proud moment for Glenn and JC, but also a milestone in a much longer journey. Glenn’s maternal grandfather, Walter Finlayson, was one of the first to make Chardonnay in South Africa. Meanwhile, years of focusing on virus-free vineyards, regenerative viticulture, and meticulous site selection on the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge are now being reflected in the glass. Glenn’s Chardonnay is a toast to that shared journey, a limited, cellar-worthy expression of family, and the quiet confidence of a place coming into its own.
Production is deliberately tiny, just 1,200 to 1,500 bottles depending on the vintage, ensuring that each bottle receives the meticulous attention it deserves.