Creation Wines in JamesSuckling.com’s Top 100 Wines of South Africa 2025
Two wines from Creation Wines have been chosen for JamesSuckling.com‘s Top 100 Wines of South Africa 2025, selected from over 900 wines tasted and rated over the last 12 months.
Our Creation Ridge Chardonnay 2024 was ranked 13th, with a score of 94 points and the following tasting note: ‘Flint, toasted hazelnuts, lemons and mangoes on the nose, as well as some jasmine and cloves. It’s medium- to full-bodied with vibrant acidity and a fresh, flinty and elegant finish. Not flashy, but pulls you back for more. Drink or hold.’
Also achieving a score of 94, our Creation Art of Pinot Noir 2024 was ranked 59th with this tasting note: ‘Raspberries, cranberries, citrus rind, licorice and aniseed on the nose of this very bright and lively red. It’s medium-bodied, spicy and full of tension, with chalky, fine tannins. Drink or hold.’
In her introduction to the Top 100 list, staff writer and critic Claire Nesbitt referred to the ‘terroir-obsessed mindset in the country’s best wines’ and to ‘a style revolution barely two decades old – one that points to wines with less richness and more salinity and tension’.
This couldn’t be more true when it comes to our wines from Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge.
‘What makes Ridge extraordinary is its unique terroir composition,’ says Creation co-founder and cellarmaster Jean-Claude (JC) Martin. ‘In terms of soil, the shale provides structure and mineral complexity, while the sandstone offers perfumed aromatics. In terms of microclimate, prolonged ripening periods help grapes develop complex flavours and phenolic maturity, while cool ocean breezes maintain natural acidity. Our elevation sweet spot delivers both intensity and elegance, the perfect balance.’
To read more about Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge and our recent decision to rename our Reserve range as Ridge, please click here.
This week, we were honoured to receive the Corporate Social Responsibility Award at the 2025 Hermanus Business Chamber Gala Dinner – a recognition that truly belongs to our community.
At Creation, social upliftment is woven into our philosophy of Connect, Collaborate, Innovate, and this award shines a light on the incredible impact made through our long-standing partnership with the Pebbles Project.
Together, we support education, health and nutrition initiatives for children and families within our wine-growing community, ensuring that the growth of our vineyards goes hand-in-hand with the growth of our people.
We warmly invite you to learn more about Pebbles’ transformative work here and to follow the journey on Facebook.