Description
At the pinnacle of Creation's Pinot Noir collection, the Art of Pinot Noir 2024 is a small-production, single-site expression from the estate's oldest Pinot Noir plantings on the cool Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. Planted in 2002 to clone 115, these virus-free vines grow on ancient decomposed Bokkeveld shale, producing a Pinot Noir of remarkable perfume, precision, and sense of place.
The 2024 vintage is particularly compelling. A small crop brought additional concentration, while a dry growing season and cool maritime conditions preserved freshness and elegance. The wine is beautifully perfumed, opening with rose petals and potpourri, vivid cherry and cranberry, orange zest, and pink grapefruit, followed by darker fruit, savory spice, and a subtle earthy complexity. The palate is fine-boned and medium-bodied, with silky texture, beautifully defined fruit, bright acidity, and a mineral thread carrying through the finish.
This is serious, cellar-worthy Pinot Noir, but its purity and perfume make it enormously appealing now. Serve with duck breast, roast quail, wild mushrooms, grilled salmon, pork tenderloin, or simply prepared lamb. A short period in a large Burgundy glass will allow its aromatic detail to unfold.
Ratings/Accolades:
Greg Sherwood MW: 96 points
Tim Atkin MW: 95 points
Victoria Mason MW: 95 points
The 2024 vintage is particularly compelling. A small crop brought additional concentration, while a dry growing season and cool maritime conditions preserved freshness and elegance. The wine is beautifully perfumed, opening with rose petals and potpourri, vivid cherry and cranberry, orange zest, and pink grapefruit, followed by darker fruit, savory spice, and a subtle earthy complexity. The palate is fine-boned and medium-bodied, with silky texture, beautifully defined fruit, bright acidity, and a mineral thread carrying through the finish.
This is serious, cellar-worthy Pinot Noir, but its purity and perfume make it enormously appealing now. Serve with duck breast, roast quail, wild mushrooms, grilled salmon, pork tenderloin, or simply prepared lamb. A short period in a large Burgundy glass will allow its aromatic detail to unfold.
Ratings/Accolades:
Greg Sherwood MW: 96 points
Tim Atkin MW: 95 points
Victoria Mason MW: 95 points
The 2024 Art of Pinot Noir was made from a particularly small crop, with yields approximately 13% below the vineyard's average. Half of the fruit was retained as whole clusters, bringing aromatic lift, savory complexity, and additional structure to the wine.
Fermentation occurred spontaneously in large foudre with 50% whole clusters, followed by malolactic fermentation in barrel. The wine was matured in French oak, approximately 30% new, for around two years before bottling. It was bottled without fining or filtration, preserving the detail and character of this exceptional vineyard.
Creation's Art of Pinot Noir comes from the estate's oldest Pinot Noir vineyard, planted on a southeast-facing slope on the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. The vineyard sits on decomposed Bokkeveld shale over clay-loam soils, while elevation and proximity to the Atlantic help moderate temperatures and extend the ripening season.
Jean-Claude Martin planted these vines in 2002 using virus-free material, an important factor in the vineyard's longevity and consistency. More than two decades later, the mature vines are increasingly capable of translating the distinctive cool-climate character of the Ridge into the glass.
The 2024 season brought particularly favorable conditions for Pinot Noir. Although severe winds during flowering reduced yields, the variety proved resilient. The resulting crop was small and concentrated, while a dry summer and just 69mm of rainfall during harvest provided excellent conditions for even ripening.
Cellarmaster: Jean-Claude “JC” Martin
Fermentation occurred spontaneously in large foudre with 50% whole clusters, followed by malolactic fermentation in barrel. The wine was matured in French oak, approximately 30% new, for around two years before bottling. It was bottled without fining or filtration, preserving the detail and character of this exceptional vineyard.
Creation's Art of Pinot Noir comes from the estate's oldest Pinot Noir vineyard, planted on a southeast-facing slope on the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. The vineyard sits on decomposed Bokkeveld shale over clay-loam soils, while elevation and proximity to the Atlantic help moderate temperatures and extend the ripening season.
Jean-Claude Martin planted these vines in 2002 using virus-free material, an important factor in the vineyard's longevity and consistency. More than two decades later, the mature vines are increasingly capable of translating the distinctive cool-climate character of the Ridge into the glass.
The 2024 season brought particularly favorable conditions for Pinot Noir. Although severe winds during flowering reduced yields, the variety proved resilient. The resulting crop was small and concentrated, while a dry summer and just 69mm of rainfall during harvest provided excellent conditions for even ripening.
Cellarmaster: Jean-Claude “JC” Martin
Creation Wines was founded by Jean-Claude and Carolyn Martin in 2002 in what was then a relatively remote corner of the Hemel-en-Aarde. Today, the estate is closely associated with the rise of the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge as one of South Africa's most exciting cool-climate wine regions.
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay sit at the heart of Creation's identity, and the Art of Creation wines represent the most site-specific and selective expressions in the portfolio. The Art of Pinot Noir is produced from a small vineyard selection and careful barrel selection, with the intention of allowing the character of the Ridge to take precedence over overt winemaking.
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay sit at the heart of Creation's identity, and the Art of Creation wines represent the most site-specific and selective expressions in the portfolio. The Art of Pinot Noir is produced from a small vineyard selection and careful barrel selection, with the intention of allowing the character of the Ridge to take precedence over overt winemaking.
