Emma Martin (Age 11) debuts as youngest winemaker
We chat to young wine maker, Emma Martin – 11 years old – to get some tips on what wine we should be drinking with our perfect steak for Friday's Braai Competition.
At Creation Wines on the lofty Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge near Hermanus there’s always something new… This time it’s the launch of an exciting Pinot Noir (2012) which Emma Martin – all of 11 years old – created under the loving eye and expert guidance of her father, Jean-Claude (JC) Martin.
JC of course needs no introduction to the lovers of fine South African wines. Since establishing Creation Wines with his wife Carolyn in 2002, the winery has won accolade upon accolade for its elegant, terroir-reflective wines.
The launch of Emma’s remarkable Pinot Noir coincides with her 11th birthday, which was on 16 July and with its release Emma ‘officially’ becomes the fourth-generation winemaker on her Swiss father’s side and the third-generation on her South African mother’s side. Small wonder the wine reflects the best of both Old and New Worlds!
The single-barrel limited release Pinot features 15% whole-bunch fermented grapes and a mere 300 bottles are available, making each a collector’s piece. The wine rewards with a delightful bouquet of berries, hints of spice and whiffs of dried apricot. It is smooth yet complex on the palate where layers of dried fruit mingle with hints of raspberry and piquant spice.
