Durbanville Hills has been a pioneer of unconventional crops in the Durbanville Wine Valley. Being the first to plant Pinot Noir, Shiraz, and later Cabernet Sauvignon, in the region. They also have their own olive grove, which today produces over 1000 bottles of extra virgin olive oil per year. More recently, they planted Viognier vines. The Rhône variety is one of few white grape varieties with a higher sugar content than Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc – making it ideal for the sweet wine styles that are so popular in South Africa.
The Creator’s Reserve.
The Durbanville Hills Creator’s Reserve Range was initially named The Artists Reserve. It was a nod to the winemakers’ collective style of experimentation and the creative process behind each vintage. However, it became clear that this name didn’t really convey what the wines were all about.
In 2013, Stephan Dummett, who is lead winemaker at Durbanville Hills, came up with the name The Creator’s Reserve as a way to describe how all of these wines are a reflection of their creators. As it turns out, Stephan’s choice was an inspired one: “We established our range as an opportunity for us to express ourselves—kinda like how artists paint or sculpt their own unique styles.”
These are expressive wines. The winemakers can express their winemaking styles through the wine they produce. That is what makes this range so special. It is a result of the care with which the winemakers give to their masterpieces. The great tasting wines are a testimony of the success of this range.
The Creator’s Reserve range consists of 4 wines.
The Creators Reserve range is a varietal collection of four wines, including a Methode Cap Classique (MCC). The sophistication and complexity of these wines is enhanced through the use of oak in an elegant manner. Each wine in the range expresses its own distinct character, yet all share common ground, with each offering a lush mouthfeel and lingering aftertaste.
This range is an opportunity for the winemakers to express themselves.
This range is an opportunity for the winemakers to express themselves by creating a bold, new wine from their vineyards. Each wine is a single-vineyard wine and one of a kind. They are the result of what Durbanville Hills describes as ‘a deep-rooted connection between the winemaker, vineyard and nature’. As far as our tasting goes, it’s definitely easy to tell that each wine is a reflection of its creator’s personality.
The range consists of eight wines – two Sauvignon Blancs, two Chardonnays, two Pinot Noirs and two Shiraz’.
Durbanville Hills is going into unchartered territory with their new wine range
A wine range is a collection of wines from the same producer, often with similar blends and styles. Durbanville Hills has a few ranges already, but they’re going into unchartered territory with their new Creator’s Reserve range. It’s an opportunity for them to experiment with new crops, winemaking techniques, and wine styles.
I’m looking forward to seeing what else Durbanville Hills will be adding to this collection over the years!
