Di-Vine Valley

- Marianne Heron

Having been to Hell – the hidden valley near the Swartberg Pass known as Die Hel – it seems logical to try the opposite extreme. And so we head for heaven, or rather its earthly equivalent, the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley in the Overberg, about ten kilometres from Hermanus.

It has become easier to explore heaven, as the tarred R320 that once stopped halfway up the valley now winds upwards through sublime scenery, embracing a dozen wineries on the Hermanus Wine Route before continuing to Caledon.

The valley is a microcosm of the way South Africa has changed. Two centuries ago, a leper colony was established on the original farm Hemel-en-Aarde. The colony was moved to Robben Island in 1846, and in subsequent decades the living made on the mixed farms in the valley was poor. It’s a past hard to imagine now, when you’re in an Arcadian landscape of vineyards covering rolling hills, with elegant wineries and restaurants in between.

We decide to start right from the beginning with the story of Creation. Creation winery is situated in a heavenly location below the Kleinrivier mountains, and instantly recalls for us the Biblical phrase ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth’. But there’s more than this underlying the name of the wine estate, as Carolyn Martin, co-owner with her husband, winemaker Jean-Claude Martin, explains.

“It’s about putting together all the elements of food and wine, and the right glasses, to create a beautiful experience and bring joy to people’s life,” says Carolyn, who has quite a background in wine. A member of the Finlayson family, she grew up in the garden at Hartenberg Estate, Stellenbosch, listening to her grandmother Eleanor Finlayson introducing wines.