Last week I was invited by Megan Richards (The Authentic Girl) to join her and a few other bloggers for a bloggers lunch at Creation Wines.
Creation is one of my favourite wine farms, I visited it earlier this year and was blown away by it’s beauty and the way it brings art and wine together. The wine farm is situated in the Hemel En Arde Valley in Hermanus – which produces some of the best wines in South Africa.
Creation likes to work in association with local artists and whenever you visit you’ll most likely see the work of a different artist every time you are there. They are currently displaying the sculptures of Nanette Ranger, which I found to be out of this world.
Here are some pictures of her work around Creation:
We were invited to try their brand new Fynarts Story Menu, which pairs Creation’s exquisite wines with creative food options which is complemented by the sculptures by Nanette Ranger and the magical chords compiled by local sound designer Ivo Ivanov- it really is an amazing sensory experience.
Pairing guru and art fundi Carolyn Martin explains: “At Creation we believe that wine and food pairing is an art in itself. To demonstrate this, our brand-new FynArts Story of Creation Pairing Menu brings you what we like to describe as ‘delectable art’, but with an exciting difference.
Thanks to the guidance of consultant forager, Chef Ryan Anderson and our landscaper and fynbos expert Meindert Poerink, our new menu abounds with the allure of citrus buchu, wild garlic flower and wild sage to titillate the senses and beautifully enhance our wines.”
About the menu:
The menu or “Story” consists of seven chapters, as well as a complimentary ‘Welcome”.
During our visit we got to taste a little bit more than we would on a standard visit, instead of being welcomed with their Creation Cool-Climate Chenin Blanc we were served their new MCC, Elation which was so good, some of the women were asking for seconds!
We were then served their Cool-Climate Chenin Blanc which was accompanied by a scrumptious selection of breads.
“The Cape seed rolls are presented on a golden hand sculptured by Nanette Ranger and served with homemade butter with citrus buchu and blood orange olive oil. The shards of bread (honey, almond and wild rosemary) are garnished with dehydrated seaweed in patterns of local seaweed and coral and served on an earthy wooden board. A delectable cream cheese dip exudes wild garlic fynbos and has just a pinch of Pinot salt. A wow for the senses, and that’s only the start!”
Next up, we were treated to a glass of Creation Sauvignon Blanc/Semillion which was matched with a broccoli and pear soup, ricotta, basil, gnudi (Raw gnocchi made with ricotta) and pumpkin seed crisp. (I’m a very fussy eater, so I was worried about this item on the menu, but it was actually quite enjoyable and it paired nicely with the Sauvignon Blanc/Semillion blend!)
Chapter 3 consisted of a mushroom and spinach dumpling, veg broth, smoked paprika and wild Rosemary, which was paired with their delicious Creation Viognier.
Chapter 4 was where the flavours and textures of parsnip, caramelised cauliflower purée, walnut crisp, boerenkaas croquette, blackberry consummé and thyme are paired with the many glorious facets of the Creation Reserve Chardonnay.
We were also treated to their amazing Art of Chardonnay, which is now my favourite Chardonnay… just a little bit out of my price range.
As an addition to the menu we also got to try the Creation Grenache Noir/Viognier Rosé paired with a beetroot soup. Now I’m not someone who enjoys beetroot but paired with this rosé, it was a dream!
Moving on to Chapter 5, my favourite dish of the day, Linefish, Beetroot, Beurre Rouge, Radish, Purple Laver and Herb Oil which was paired with their delicious Creation Reserve Pinot Noir 2017 (They gave me a bottle of this to take home! I’ve had to hide it from my boyfriend, because he’s been nagging me to open it.)
Chapter 6 paired the Creation Reserve Syrah with a duck bobotie with labneh, coriander and candied egg yolk.
We were also treated to a Springbok Venison which also paired amazingly with the Syrah/Grenache.
Chapter 7 meant time for dessert, a deliciously sweet jaffa cake paired with Creation’s Dessert wine; Fine Cape Vintage 2017.
Our menu had a few added extras, including an extra beetroot soup and some extra sensory experiences, incorporating, smell, taste and sound.
All in all, it was a fantastic day, spent with fantastic people.
The FynArts Story of Creation Pairing Menu will be served until the beginning of September when a Spring menu will be launched – be sure to make a reservation here – https://www.creationwines.com/tasting-room/#nav_tasting-room
Be sure to let Creation know your dietary requirements in advance, they are extremely accommodating and they created amazing alternative meals for the Vegetarians and Vegans present at the table. All their wines are vegan friendly.
Creation has a range of pairing options, perfect for any occasion and budget. Check out their website to find out more.
Thank you to Creation for hosting us and to Megan Richards for the invite!
Until Next Time!
Nadine
Nadine Naturally 