Cape Town, South Africa :Travellers are stampeding to 'Heaven on Earth'

We’re sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We’re working to restore it. Please try again later.

Advertisement

This was published 7 years ago

Cape Town, South Africa :Travellers are stampeding to 'Heaven on Earth'

By Alison Stewart
Creation Wines and Heaven on Earth valley, South Africa.

Creation Wines and Heaven on Earth valley, South Africa.

The Heaven on Earth valley might not be as recognised as South Africa's Constantia, Paarl, Stellenbosch or Franschhoek wine valleys, but food and wine pilgrims, especially of Burgundy-style pinot noirs and chardonnays, are stampeding to this burgeoning viticultural grail trail.

Cooled by Atlantic breezes, carpeted in vineyards and folded in the arms of velvet mountains, this paradise near Africa's southernmost tip, just 90 minutes from Cape Town, is producing, some might say, the nectar of the gods.

Heaven on Earth (Hemel-en-Aarde in Afrikaans) is a valley of 15 wineries in the Walker Bay Wine Region that rises from behind the whale village of Hermanus. Its terroir – clay soil and the cooling southeaster that slides off the cold Antarctic Benguela current – imparts a unique flavour to wines often compared with those of France.

You won't find gigantic, hyper-commercialised wineries here. Each winery produces small amounts of highly individual, terroir-driven premium wine that carefully express the winemakers' personalities.

The prosaic-sounding R320 is the road into this hidden valley, drawing the visitor from the coast along a 20-kilometre meandering route rich with vineyards and cellars. We are headed for the top of the valley and the Hemel-en Aarde Ridge that shoulders the Babylon Toren (Tower of Babylon) Mountain.

We've heard great stories about the wine, food and hospitality of the aptly named Creation Wines, which, among many wine awards and despite its youth, has twice been awarded the Great Wine Capitals of the World Award for the Most Innovative Wine Estate in South Africa.

In 2002, owners Jean-Claude (JC) and Carolyn Martin took on the task of establishing a winery on their 60 hectares of undulating land that climbed 350 metres up the steep sides of the Babylon Toren Mountain.

No vines had ever been planted in this part of the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge but Swiss-born viticulturist and cellarmaster JC and South Africa-born Carolyn both come from pioneering wine stock and recognised the potential of altitude, cooling breezes, generous sunlight and the 450-million-year-old clay loam soils, combined with decomposed Bokkeveld shale.

Here in the valley, temperatures rarely exceed 30 degrees during the vines' growth period, while night averages are 12 degrees cooler, resulting in full-flavoured grapes of excellent quality.

Advertisement

We are prepared for the fine wines, having already sampled an award-winning Creation reserve merlot 2014, but we are less prepared for the outstanding food pairings for which Creation has gained a reputation.

Guests fill the light-drenched, high-ceilinged Tasting Room for Creation's popular wine and food pairing and lunch, and spill onto the lawn. Large picture windows look out across the indigenous gardens and bright green vineyards towards the mountains.

Inside, we embark on the eight-course tapas pairing, accompanied by eight of JC's wines – R270 ($25) a person, bookings essential.

Courses include calamari risotto, pawpaw, pineapple, celery, radish, lemongrass and apple, then sushi and sashimi with wasabi paired with a distinctive, Bordeaux-style sauvignon blanc-semillon. A duck breast, beetroot, goat's milk cheese, raspberry and wholegrain mustard and a pork fillet, burnt caramel and sage, spinach and king oyster mushroom are both paired with lovely pinot noirs.

There's cauliflower, hazelnut, thyme with blue vein cheese with the merlot, pickled seabass, poppadum, sweetcorn and coriander with the viognier, and more. I also manage two gigantic West coast oysters with tabasco jelly, gorgeous with a semillon sauvignon blanc.

The range of wines offered is generous, as are hosts JC and Carolyn who stop to greet and chat to lunch guests as if they're old friends – perhaps many of them are!

The Creation menu also includes a three-course pairing, which changes weekly and offers fresh local ingredients and unexpected combinations.

Other options are cheese pairings and charcuterie pairings, a brunch pairing, the gourmet secret pairing, non-alcoholic tapas and tea pairing and a paradoxical chocolate pairing, plus a surprise pairing for kids.

There are clearly daytrippers from Cape Town, Hermanus and other localities here but for those who would prefer not to drive, there's accommodation in the valley or in nearby Hermanus. Chris Niehaus of Bernadus Tours and Transfers (bniehaus@vodamail.co.za) offers a "get home safely" return trip to Creation from Hermanus.

In fact, a sojourn in the valley is recommended, as it would be a shame not to visit other wineries and restaurants. Closer to the coast and the valley opening are the pioneering Bouchard Finlayson and Hamilton Russell vineyards, internationally acclaimed for their pinot noir and chardonnay wines.

At the Newton Johnson Vineyards, Cape Wine Master Dave (with a thesis on pinot noir) and his wife Felicity (nee Newton) have passed on their enthusiasm for pinot noir to their sons, Bevan and Gordon.

Their award-winning restaurant (The Restaurant) is where chef Eric Bulpitt creates food from the Overberg region's produce. Preserving, pickling, fermenting, smoking and open fire cooking are his passions.

Mogg's Country Cookhouse from mother and daughter team, Jenny and Julia Mogg, offers lovely comfort food in a beautiful tranquil valley setting – try their lamb shank with potato puree and rich jus, if it's on the menu. Vegetables and herbs are from their own garden.

Finally, Domaine des Dieux (place of the gods), also on the ridge near Creation, is the first producer of MCC (Methode Cap Classique) in the Hemel-en-Aarde. Their maiden Claudia Brut MCC was released in 2010.

TRIP NOTES

MORE INFORMATION

hermanuswineroute.com/

creationwines.com/

GETTING THERE

Fly Virgin Australia from Brisbane/Sydney/Melbourne to Perth, then South African Airways to Johannesburg, and Cape Town. See flysaa.com/au

TOURING THERE

Creation Wines and Tasting Room. See creationwines.com/

Creation wines available in Australia from Shebeen Queen Wine Imports. See shebeenqueenwineimports.com.au/

The Restaurant at Newton Johnson Wines. See newtonjohnson.com/dine/

Moggs Country Cookhouse. See moggscookhouse.com/

Bouchard Finlayson Winery. See bouchardfinlayson.co.za/

Hamilton Russell Vineyards. See hamiltonrussellvineyards.com/

Domaine des Dieux. See domainedesdieux.co.za/

Alison Stewart was a guest of Creation and South African Airways

Sign up for the Traveller Deals newsletter

Get exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now.

Most viewed on Traveller

Loading