Celebrate International Chardonnay Day with Creation’s Art of Chardonnay: Where Heaven Meets Earth
Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, South Africa – As International Chardonnay Day (May 22, 2025) approaches, Creation Wines invites wine enthusiasts and media to celebrate with its flagship Art of Chardonnay 2023—a limited-release masterpiece that exemplifies why South Africa’s Hemel-en-Aarde region has earned global recognition as a ‘Chardonnay paradise’.
A Wine of Distinction
Creation’s Art of Chardonnay 2023 represents the pinnacle of South African winemaking, with each individually numbered bottle (only 6,521 produced) offering collectors and connoisseurs a rare opportunity to experience what Masters of Wine have described as ‘pristine, with a very cool feel on the palate’ and displaying ‘a powerful saline character’ that promises beautiful ageing potential.
‘Hemel-en-Aarde produces Chardonnays of great elegance and finesse, haunting and restrained,’ says Cellarmaster Jean-Claude Martin, whose passion for Chardonnay has guided Creation’s approach since planting South Africa’s first post-1994 virus-free mother block in 2003.
Where Geology Meets Artistry
The Art of Chardonnay 2023 draws its distinctive character from Creation’s unique terroir on the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, where:
- Vineyards sit at 264 meters above sea level, with cooling Atlantic influences and a diurnal temperature fluctuation of 12°C
- 590-million-year-old seams of quartz sparkle through clay-loam soils of 450-million-year-old Bokkeveld shale
- Morning cloud cover creates ideal slow-ripening conditions
- Carefully selected Burgundian clones (95, 96 and 548) thrive in the cool climate
‘With Chardonnay one recognises the architecture of the geology in the wine,’ explains Martin. ‘This meticulous attention to terroir creates wines with steely tension as well as elegance and finesse.’
Handcrafted From Soil to Bottle
The 2023 vintage represents the harmonious culmination of two decades of vineyard cultivation and winemaking expertise:
- Hand-harvested in the early morning of February 24, 2023
- Whole bunch pressed with only free-run juice selected
- Fermented in 70% second-fill and 30% new-fill French oak barrels
- Natural fermentation with minimal intervention
- 11 months on the lees with 100% malolactic fermentation (without batonage)
- Bottled unfined and unfiltered to preserve complexity and character
‘Stylistically, the Art of Chardonnay 2023 is a very classic vintage, quite restrained,’ notes Martin.
South Africa’s Rising Star on the Global Stage
Creation’s excellence reflects the broader recognition of South African Chardonnay on the international stage. As UK Master of Wine Andy Howard wrote in Decanter magazine: ‘In just a few decades, this arrestingly beautiful part of South Africa’s south has risen to join the elite of regions reputed as top-quality sources of the world’s best-loved white grape.’
American wine critic Alder Yarrow echoes this sentiment: ‘At its best, South African Chardonnay has an electric brightness, fantastic minerality, and sometimes what felt like a wonderful sea-borne freshness that I found positively thrilling… [These wines] certainly stood shoulder-to-shoulder with [white Burgundies] in overall quality.’
Tasting Notes
The 2023 Art of Chardonnay presents a captivating expression of its terroir—steely tension balanced with elegant refinement. The wine showcases vibrant citrus freshness and distinctive minerality with nuanced complexity that evolves beautifully in the glass.
Technical details:
- Alcohol: 13.5 vol%
- Total Acid: 6.8 g/l
- pH: 3.2
- Residual Sugar: 1.4 g/l
Media Opportunities
Creation Wines welcomes media inquiries for:
- Sample requests of the Art of Chardonnay 2023
- Interviews with Cellarmaster Jean-Claude Martin
- Virtual or in-person vineyard and cellar tours
- High-resolution images of the vineyard, winery, and bottle
About Creation Wines
Located on the scenic Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge near Hermanus, Creation Wines was established in 2003 by Jean-Claude and Carolyn Martin. The estate is committed to sustainable farming practices and produces a range of acclaimed wines, including four award-winning Chardonnays. Creation’s distinct terroir, innovative winemaking, and dedication to quality have established it as a premier destination for wine lovers and a leading producer of South African Chardonnay.
Contact
For more information, please contact Carolyn Martin: carolyn@creationwines.com, +27 (0)72 673 1880
Note to editors: Creation’s Art of Chardonnay 2023 is available at fine wine merchants and directly from the estate. Additional information, including technical sheets and accolades, can be provided upon request.