Creation - Hemel and Aarde Ridge

This little gem is certainly off the beaten track. You wind your way past all the well known wineries in the valley such as Bouchard Finlayson and Hamilton Russell and keep going until you hit the dirt road and then you go some more. After some distance you arrive at Creations and need to navigate your way through their vineyards to get to the restaurant and winery. A tip, do not come here if you drive a vehicle with little ground clearance as it will be a problem.

Once getting here though, you certainly appreciate what you have come out all the way for. There is a lovely view across the valley to Ataraxia and we watched the cold front blowing in during the afternoon through large glass windows. This is certainly a restaurant with a difference and provides for a relaxed atmosphere with couches and tables dispersed around the fireplaces, providing for a very cozy feeling on a Cape winters afternoon.

We had booked a wine tasting to start the lunch off with and it was suggested we include the canapes specifically designed to complement and enhance the wine tasting experience. A very very good idea indeed and it certainly is recommended. We were taken on their wine journey with one of the sommeliers and it was great to be able to interact, question and understand what you should be looking for. In fact we showed enough interest to be taken down to the cellar and do some barrel tasting, thereby enhancing our experience even further.

After tasting all their wines, they have an interesting merlot, more a french style than traditional South African, we enjoyed a lunch of fresh breads accompanied by a platter of meats and cheeses. The food was very enjoyable and we whiled away the afternoon chatting, drinking and eating while it was storming outside.

If you are looking for something relaxed and off the beaten track this restaurant is certainly for you. There are so many nice touches and ideas implemented here, including their canapes with the wine tasting and their platters on offer. Their wines are really enjoyable, particularly the viognier, with the other varietals being very good as well. They really are making an effort to present some very interesting events and we are certainly planning more visits and look forward to some great food wine and a relaxed afternoon.