Creation Wine Estate - Hemel & Aarde Rd R320, Hermanus

Going on a Wine Pairing that caters to all the senses is the ultimate spoil. Even the doggy menu was next level in presentation and taste. This month, we visited Creation Wine Estate in the Hemel and Aarde Valley of Hermanus. Creation is a must-stop wine farm if you are ever in the area.

Upon arrival, we already knew it was very busy when parking was hard to find, but not to worry we did not have to drive around for too long. While making our way to the restaurant we allowed the dogs to have a good sniff and stretch before they needed to relax by our table.

It was a beautiful sunny winter’s day, but being winter we were still very happy to sit somewhere warm close to the fireplace or heater. We received a very warm welcome when entering the Creation Restaurant and were shown to our table. There were heaters strategically placed in the Restaurant so you did not have to worry about getting a table close to a heater. Cobalt immediately went to lie down in front of the heater ready to relax and being next to the window he enjoyed the view before dozing off for an afternoon nap.

Once settled we were offered Still or Sparkling water and at the same time the dogs got a nice fresh bowl of water. Creation has a lot of wonderful options apart from the “A la carte menu” they also have a “Wine and Food Pairing” or “Plant based wine and food pairing menu” to choose from. Luckily for us, we were offered the Wine and Food pairing experience so we did not have the difficult decision of what to order. Creation makes you think of a Storybook, and the Wine and Food Pairing Experience is also done in Chapters to fit in with the theme.

Appetiser

First on the menu was our appetiser, Watercress and Parsnip Soup paired with Creation Sauvignon Blanc. Our Waitress then added a few drops of the wine we were drinking to our soup. I cannot start to explain the flavours. The soup does not just look fancy but the flavour is mind-blowing. The wine and soup ensured that our experience was off to a great start, and we were already looking forward to the next item on the menu.

Chapter 1

After our Appetisers the Waitress came past with some “Creation Viognier” which was served with Agedashi Tofu. This was the first time that I ate Tofu and to be honest I did not know what to expect. Before we started with our wine or Tofu the waitress was back with a piece of silk. She started to explain how the texture of the wine changes when our senses are heightened. So first we sipped the wine before closing our eyes, rubbing the silk cloth between our fingers and sipping the wine again, immediately the texture of the wine became silkier and the flavour also changed. The wine complimented the tofu so well making it one of the most tasty meals I have had, I did not expect tofu to have so much flavour.

Chapter 2

Next up the waitress came with Periwinkle shells, before the waiter could explain the reason for the shell, the memory of being a child holding the shell up to your ear to hear the ocean come up.

The wine for this chapter was “Creation Reserve Chardonnay” served with Trout, Leeks, Wild Garlic and Caviar. Before we could start the very friendly waitress came to explain why there was a periwinkle shell on the table. First, we smell and sip the Chardonnay for taste, then while closing your eyes and holding the shell to your ear you smell and sip the wine again. I have never experienced Chardonnay on this level before, the aromas that you could pick up were mind-blowing, and it tasted like a completely different wine.

The wine beautifully complimented the trout which was just as mouth-watering as the wine. Meanwhile, the 4 dogs were still snoring away under the table, unaware of what was happening.

Chapter 3

The waiter came past with a menu for the dogs during this chapter (perfect timing in the middle of our experience instead of doing it right at the beginning), we were now halfway through our Wine and Food Pairing.

 it was not easy to choose an option for the dogs as it all looked amazing.

• Pooch Platter – Chicken or Beef with brown rice & Steamed Vegetables

• Fishy Treat – Salmon with Vegetables

• Snack Pack – Biltong and Doggy Biscuits

We chose the Pooch Platter for our well-behaved doggy pack oblivious of what was going on around them. I have never seen such a good-looking plate of food, they used the freshest of vegetables I almost tasted. We woke the dogs up and took them for a quick walk outside to stretch their legs before giving them their well-deserved meal.  While Jenna was trying to take a photo of her three, Cruz and Image were both eyeing out Boss’s meal.

Once back in the restaurant, our waitress came past with our next wine and meal. We then moved over to the red wines, Jenna and I are not fond of red wines but the wines were amazing making a white wine drinker very happy. The wine for Chapter 3 was “Creation Reserve Pinot Noir” served with Springbok, Celeriac, Peas, Goat’s Milk Cheese, and Jus. The Waitress came around with some wine perfume and she applied a few drops to our wrist. Once again we had to close our eyes, smell the perfume and then smell and drink the wine. I have never been good at picking up flavours when I smell wine, but this journey that we took was amazing, and picking up smells was very interesting. This was also the most amazing Springbok that I have ever tasted, the wine complimented the meal perfectly.

Jenna and I were very relaxed at this stage enjoying the sun, easy vibes, food and wine and could not believe we still had two more chapters to go.

Chapter 4

 The dogs had settled again and returned to their afternoon nap.

For Chapter Four the waitress poured us some “Creation Syrah, Grenache” which was served with some Bone Marrow, Broth, Capers, Lemon and Cape Seed Loaf. Needless to say, we ate those marrow bones clean and the dogs did not even get a lick.

It was very difficult to believe at this point that we were not finished with our experience yet.

Chapter 5

It was finally time for something sweet. The waitress bought out the “Creation Fine Cape Vintage” which was served with Chocolate and Hazelnut Torte, Coffee and Orange flavours. It tasted as good as it looked, Jenna and I both have a bit of a sweet tooth. The wine and dessert complimented all the flavours that we just experienced so well ending the entire experience on a high note.

The Food and Wine pairing takes about 2 – 3 hours, so make sure you are not rushed when you make the booking. We will definitely highly recommend Creation, the gardens are beautiful with the most amazing art, the views are breathtaking, we could see why the wine has won so many rewards and the food was next level taking you on a journey through all your senses.

We stayed at “Klein Waterval Plaas” in Tesselaarsdal, so driving back was only 20 min (we could not imagine driving further after such an amazing lunch). You can get more details on “Klein Waterval Plaas” in “WeLovePetsSA August 2024 edition).

Creation Wine Estate

Hemel-en-Aarde Road

Hermanus

+27 28 212 1107

info@creationwines.com

What to expect from us next

Have you made your December holiday plans yet? Or are you one of those who decide on the spur of the moment to get away for a day or two? We will be telling you all about Winfall Cottages in Robertson in the next issue of WeLovePetsSA