“Pinot Noir has taken off around the world as a sought-after food pairing wine. It is light enough for salmon and complex enough for richer pairings such as duck, making it very versatile as seen on our Pinot Palate menu,” says Creation’s Carolyn Martin.
Pinot Noir is furthermore considered to be one of the world’s most transparent and expressive cultivars. The indelible stamp of origin and the subtle hand of the winemaker can be read in a good Pinot Noir and this provenance and varietal character are becoming increasingly important to the wine lover.
With better grafting material available and as more and healthy vineyards on suitable sites reach maturity, South African Pinot Noir has been rising in stature, both locally and internationally. An important reason for the increased demand is the time and effort many local winemakers afford to the production of their Pinot.
Creation’s Jean-Claude (JC) Martin agrees with many of his fellow winemakers: Pinot Noir (sometimes wistfully referred to as the ‘heartbreak grape’) can be tricky. Being a qualified viticulturist as well as a winemaker, JC is only too familiar with the challenges faced when cultivating what can be a fickle grape – the first being the selection of suitable clones for the terroir. Clonal selection is a critical decision as each clone has characteristics making it more or less suitable for the chosen site.
At Creation the cooler climate with ample sunlight and good soil drainage combined with judicious clonal selection, using Dijon clones are key to the production of quality Pinot Noir. It is an early ripening variety and the harvesting has just commenced with selective hand-picking precluding the need for sorting tables and additional handling. Just minutes after being picked the grapes enter the cellar, which is situated in the heart of Creation’s estate vineyards.
But getting back to the ‘Pinot Palate’: the fresh elegance of Creation’s wines makes them the ideal match for a wide variety of dishes, including those enhanced by fresh herbs such as tarragon, chives and sage. And speaking about sage, click here for chef Warwick Taylor’s delicious Pork Loin with Spinach, Leek and King Oyster Mushroom, Caramel and Sage Sauce recipe. Truly sensational with the Creation Reserve Pinot Noir which can be ordered online.
Remington Norman at Creation
Remington Norman, Burgundy aficionado and wine writer visited Creation and it was inspiring to hear what he had to say about Pinot Noir in the Hemel-en-Aarde.