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In 1999, when Swiss winemaker Jean-Claude Martin married South African-born Carolyn Finlayson, he never imagined that love would lead him from the steep banks of Lake Bienne in Switzerland to the windswept ridges of Hemel-en-Aarde. But in 2002, while visiting Carolyn’s uncle, Peter Finlayson (the pioneering Hemel-en-Aarde winemaker), JC saw extraordinary potential in a former sheep farm that had never before been planted to vines.

The Blank Canvas Dream

What captivated JC wasn’t just the 300-metre elevation and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, but also the opportunity to start completely fresh. ‘This old sheep farm offered something precious,’ says JC. ‘The chance to plant virus-free vines, not only for ourselves but also to create a mother block that would contribute to South Africa’s grape security.’ In fact, Creation was the first South African wine estate to plant virus-free vines post-1994, a long-term investment in sustainability as virus-free means improved vineyard longevity and healthier grapes. Creation’s winter cuttings are used by Vititec to propagate new vines in their Wine Improvement Nurseries, providing clean plant material for the rest of the South African Wine Industry.

Where Pinot Noir Dynasties Unite

Both JC and Carolyn brought deep winemaking DNA to their new venture, with JC coming from three generations of Swiss winemakers specialising in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, while Carolyn’s father is the legendary Cape wine pioneer Walter Finlayson, her uncle Peter the first to have planted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. Their union represented the meeting of two Pinot Noir dynasties from different continents, each bringing generations of expertise with this noble, expressive grape.

Why Pinot Noir Captivates JC

‘Pinot Noir at its best is an inspiring, elegant, delicate and multi-faceted wine offering intriguing complexity and depth,’ says JC. ‘It is considered to be one of the world’s most transparent and expressive cultivars; a good Pinot reflects the indelible stamp of its origin and the subtle hand of its winemaker.’

This transparency, or honest expression of place and time, is what captivates JC.

Four Expressions, One Philosophy

At Creation, single-site vineyards with diverse aspects give rise to four internationally sought-after wines, each expressing itself in its own stylistic way, ranging from intensely fragrant and beautifully earthy to excitingly complex and elegantly spicy:

The Art of Creation Pinot Noir – ‘Prince Charming’: Single-site specific and barrel selection with individually numbered bottles. ‘Utterly enchanting, a shiny pomegranate seed red. Complex velvety texture, spice and perfume. The Prince of Reds at his most charming.’ Tim Atkin MW awarded it 96 points, calling it ‘the pinnacle of the Creation Pinot Noir output’ and ‘a brilliant expression of a single, east facing site planted in 2002 with clone 115’.

Creation Emma’s Pinot Noir – ‘Daddy’s Girl’: A collaboration between Emma and JC Martin from a slightly west-facing single-site vineyard. ‘A serious glass of premium Pinot Noir.’ Tim Atkin described it as ‘a serious, structured style that wouldn’t look out of place in Gevrey-Chambertin, with plenty of colour, black cherry and plum fruit’.

Creation Reserve Pinot Noir – ‘Red Velvet’: ‘Smooth yet complex with layers of dried fruit, hints of piquant spice. Supple tannins ensure excellent maturation potential.’

Creation Estate Pinot Noir – ‘Forever Romantic’: ‘A bevy of seductive red berries… the earthiness of shiitake mushroom. Sheer romance in a glass.’

Global Recognition Meets Environmental Leadership

Creation was named the 3rd Best Vineyard in the World and Best Vineyard in Africa in the 2024 World’s Best Vineyards Awards. They were also awarded Best Brand Experience at the inaugural 2024 V d’Or Awards in Paris. All their wines carry the IPW (Integrated Production of Wine) sustainability and integrity seal, and they participate in cutting-edge climate research including ClimaVin and the Vititec GEN-Z project to establish the best clones for climate change mitigation. In recognition of their commitment to sustainable farming and conservation, Creation was named a WWF-SA Conservation Champion in 2022.

Innovation in Harmony with Nature

In Creation’s custom-designed cellar, JC adheres to a philosophy of ‘expressing the beauty of Nature’. He says: ‘When you’re harvesting quality fruit it is possible to use natural fermentation, no filtering, and no fining. Rather, you guide the wine gently through the process to preserve the sense of place.’ Practical measures include solar-powered facilities, a full circular water system, sustainable packaging, eliminating the use of plastic, and using corks grown in sustainable forests. The state-of-the-art cellar was designed to fit ‘like a pearl in an oyster’, with earth insulating one side of the building.

Elite Critical Recognition

Creation’s Art of Pinot Noir has consistently achieved 95+ points across multiple vintages, demonstrating remarkable consistency at the highest level of international wine criticism:

• 2018 Creation Art of Pinot Noir: 96 points (Tim Atkin MW)
• 2019 Art of Creation Pinot Noir: 97 points (Tim Atkin MW)
• 2019 Emma’s Pinot Noir: 95 points (Tim Atkin MW)
• 2020 Art of Creation Pinot Noir: 96 points (Tim Atkin MW)
• 2021 Creation Art of Pinot Noir: 96 points (Tim Atkin MW) – ‘Wine of the Year’
• 2022 Creation Art of Pinot Noir: 95 points (Decanter Panel) – Top 5 of 273 wines in international blind tasting
• 2022 Creation Art of Pinot Noir: 95 points (Robert Parker Wine Advocate) – review of 501 South African wines, the 2022 Creation Art of Pinot Noir came up top among the Pinot Noirs
• 2024 Emma’s Pinot Noir: 97 points (Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za)

Why This Matters to You

Carolyn explains: ‘Our Pinots are exceptionally food friendly and versatile, pairing well with a range of foods, from fish to venison, from goat’s milk cheese to the tartness of fresh berries.’

When you open any of Creation’s four Pinot Noir expressions, you’re experiencing JC’s belief that Pinot Noir is the world’s most transparent communicator of place – each bottle telling the unique story of its specific vineyard site, whether east-facing like the Art of Creation or slightly west-facing like Emma’s block. It’s where Swiss precision meets South African soul, generations of Finlayson Pinot Noir mastery, and a deep respect for what JC calls ‘the indelible stamp of origin’, all validated by consistent world-class critical recognition that places Creation among the globe’s elite Pinot Noir producers.