Winemakers On Fire, Issue #6

Good day, and a warm welcome!

Congratulations to JC and Carolyn Martin and the Creation team for being named one of the Top 5 (and number one in Africa) World's Best Vineyards in 2023. This incredible accomplishment is a testament to the entire Creation team's dedication and hard work.

Creation also has a luxury solar-powered self-catering guest cottage nestled among their vineyards. Here's a picture of Die Voormanshuis. So, if you have been meaning to visit the Hemel-en-Aarde valley, you now have a good reason to do so.

In honour of Creation's accomplishment, I'm republishing (with enhancements) the interview I did with JC in the first issue of your newsletter. We've had a lot of new readers join us since then, so this will be new to many of you.

How does a South African wine estate celebrate its 338th birthday?

Raise your glass because Groot Constantia, South Africa’s oldest wine-producing farm, celebrated its 338th birthday last Thursday, a unique celebration of an estate founded on July 13, 1685, by Simon van der Stel, the then governor of the Cape.

In celebration of this milestone, Groot Constantia is opening its vintage vault to make a limited number of its famous and collectible wines available to taste and purchase.

Read the story.

I'm adding a new feature column for your newsletter, beginning with this issue. I’ve called it "Insights To Fuel Your Mind," and it shares insider knowledge I have learned working in the wine packaging and label printing industries for the past 25 years. I guarantee that if you do not read this, your competitors will.

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If you have a tip or story idea you would like to share, please email me; I’d love to hear from you! In case you were wondering, participating is absolutely FREE! - Yes, you read that right.

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This week features an exclusive interview with Creation Wines owner and winemaker JC Martin, plus we showcase Stellenbosch brand design agency Just Design.  

Meet Jean-Claude Martin, Award-Winning Winemaker and Owner of Creation Wines

We welcome Jean-Claude (JC) Martin, owner & winemaker of Creation Wines located in the South African Wine Region of Walker Bay.

How did you get started in wine?

I was born in Switzerland and spent my childhood holidays playing in my grandparents’ vineyards on the northern shores of Lake Bienne. At the age of 14, I worked my first full harvest and decided to become a winemaker. I was 20 years old when I realised this dream, making my first wine in a converted garage. The equipment was basic but the results were such that I was offered a position as winemaker at the Grillette Winery in the Winelands of Neuchâtel, where I became a partner.

In 2002, our family moved to South Africa where my wife Carolyn and I bought a small farm in the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge Ward of Walker Bay. The land had never been planted to vines before, allowing us a blank canvas to establish the cultivars and clones best suited to the terroir. We planted the first virus-free vines in South Africa post 1994 and the cuttings from our vineyards are now used to propagate clean material for new plantings in South Africa. Last year we were proud to be among the Top Ten of the World’s Best Vineyards and Number One in Africa.

Do you have a degree in winemaking?

I completed my viticultural studies in 1991 at the Swiss Federal Research Station for Fruit Growing, Viticulture and Horticulture in Wädenswil. In 1995 I qualified as a winemaker at the Swiss Federal School of Changins.

What has surprised you about being a winemaker?

The caprices of Mother Nature! We are at the mercy of Nature and intricately connected with the rhythms of the universe. No two vintages are ever the same and this never ceases to intrigue me. Terroir is an interactive ecosystem and the biome is an integral part of this, as are the viticultural and winemaking decisions made every vintage.

What goals in winemaking are you still working to achieve?

My winemaking philosophy is ‘Expressing the Beauty of Nature’ and at Creation, we constantly work towards achieving this goal. This means working alongside nature to get the purest expression of the terroir. To quote: "When you are harvesting quality fruit, guide it gently through the winemaking process to preserve the sense of place."

Who do you most admire in the world of South African wine, and why?

Brands like Kanonkop who have maintained consistent quality over decades.

What do you find to be the hardest part of harvest?

Timing is of the essence and here in our cool-climate region, patience is the name of the game.

What makes your wine unique?

Provenance matters and at Creation, we produce site-specific wines.

Our estate is situated at the foot of the highest peak of Babylonstoren Mountain where a unique and diverse blend of geology, soils, altitude, aspect and climate gives rise to the production of an exciting variety of world-class wines. The area is part of the Cape Floral Kingdom and a global epicentre of biodiversity.

As the crow flies, Walker Bay and the Atlantic Ocean are a mere kilometres away. The prevailing winds off the ocean and their orographic effect significantly impact our climate and create optimum growing conditions for especially Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. During the growth period temperatures rarely exceed 30° C. The cool night index throughout the year is 12° C lower than the daytime temperature. Thanks to these cool-climate conditions, the grapes ripen slowly, evenly and fully, resulting in attractive fruit flavours balanced by crisp acidity to add to the freshness of the wines.

How has climate change impacted your approach?

Where we are situated, we currently seem to experience a moderate impact. However, looking at the bigger, worldwide picture we are very aware that we must be prepared. At Creation, we are currently working with Stellenbosch University on the Climavin project to predict and manage the response of ecosystems to climate change. We also partake in Vititec's GEN-Z project to establish clones and rootstock best suited to tackling climate change.

Thank you for sharing your inspirational story with us, JC. We wish you and Carolyn continued success.

INSIGHTS TO FUEL YOUR MIND

Transform Your Wine Brand: 10 Insider Secrets for going from Good to Great

Quality, innovation, and consistency are all priorities for a successful wine brand. It should be well-marketed and have a strong presence in the industry. Finally, a great wine brand should have a unique story and personality that appeals to its target audience.

Here are my top ten insider tips to help you take your wine brand to the next level.

1. Understand Your Target Market

Knowing your target market is the key to brand success. Do your research and discover who your customers are, what their preferences are, and how you can capture their attention. Once you have identified your target market, create appropriate content and a marketing strategy to connect with them and establish a strong relationship.

2. Embrace Your Unique Story

Every successful brand has its own story to tell. Embrace your roots, history, and values to craft a story that resonates with your customers. By creating a story that is unique to your brand, you can distinguish yourself from the competition and create an emotional connection with your customers. This connection will help customers remember your brand and create loyalty to it.

3. Invest in Quality

Quality is the cornerstone of any successful wine brand. From the vineyard to the bottle, invest in quality every step of the way to ensure your customers get the highest quality possible product. Investing in quality throughout the entire production process is key to developing a successful and long-lasting wine brand.

4. Create Memorable Packaging

Your packaging is often the first impression of your brand. Make it memorable and eye-catching to grab attention and set your brand apart from the crowd. Consider adding value-added options like silkscreen High Build, embossing, foiling, and uncoated paper to your product to make it more distinctive and leave a lasting impression. Your product only has a few seconds on the shelf to catch the customer's attention.

5. Build an Engaged Community

Social media has made it easier to connect with your customers and build an engaged community. Take advantage of these platforms to interact with your customers, share your story, and create a loyal following. Use social media to build relationships with your customers, engage them with interesting content, and increase brand loyalty.

6. Foster Authentic Relationships

Your customers should feel part of your brand's story. Foster authentic relationships with them through personalised interactions, exclusive events, and special offers. Make your customers feel seen and heard by giving them a platform to express their opinions and build relationships with you.

7. Focus on Education

Educate your customers about your wine brand, its history, and the winemaking process. This will not only create a deeper appreciation for your product but also make your brand more memorable. Establishing your brand's credibility and trustworthiness will also be enhanced by emphasising the quality of the production process.

8. Be Consistent

Consistency is the key to creating a successful brand. From wine taste to your messaging and branding, ensure that everything is consistent across all channels. This way, customers will be able to instantly recognise your brand and gain trust in your product.

9. Stay Ahead of the Curve

The world is constantly changing, and so is the wine industry. Stay ahead of the curve by being innovative, creative, and adapting to changing trends. Be sure to take a proactive approach in order to stay on top of the ever-evolving wine market and stay competitive.

10. Never Compromise on Quality

Last but not least, never compromise on wine or packaging quality. This is what sets high-quality wine brands apart from the good ones. Always strive for perfection, and your brand will stand the test of time. Doing so will give you an edge over the competition.

Follow these 10 insider secrets, and you will transform your wine brand from good to incredibly awesome. Remember: understand your target market, embrace your unique story, invest in quality, create memorable packaging, build an engaged community, foster authentic relationships, focus on education, be consistent, stay ahead of the curve, and never compromise on quality.

I don't want to overstretch myself, but these tips apply to many other industries as well.

Introducing Just Design, the Stellenbosch Brand Design Agency

For over twenty years, Just Design has proven time and again that good thinking leads to great creativity. With an International footprint and accounts across Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, they are the strategic design partners for many blue-chip clients and global brands and are one of South Africa’s top packaging design agencies.

Our guest today is Alastair Haarhoff, Managing Director and owner of Stellenbosch brand design agency Just Design.

How do you balance creativity with brand identity when designing a wine label?

The first layer should always be the brand layer. We always use a creative approach and solution to support and enhance the brand. It should always have meaning and clearly refer back to the brand essence, creative platform, or brand story, whether it is telling a story, artistic expression, typography, or layers of discovery.

Sometimes there are design tensions: for example, the brand represents heritage and tradition, but they want to appeal to a younger consumer. In these cases, we make certain that the execution strikes the right balance for both.

Consumers are very visual, so how do you ensure that the wine label design reflects the wine's characteristics and flavour profile?

When designing a wine label, it is critical to understand the characteristics and flavour profile. Colour, patterns, illustrations, and typography are usually our go-tos. To capture the required expression and execution for the specific market or consumer segment, we would normally use a combination of these.

For lighter and crisper wines, we often use a more cursive or handwritten font, as well as a lighter and fresher colour palette, such as silver foils. Darker or contrasting colours are preferred for bold and robust, full-flavoured white and red wines. All of this must be done through the lens of the brand.

Do you think that the back label is an opportunity to tell the story of the winery, the winemaker, and the wine? Have you any suggestions for wineries on how they can communicate their story effectively?

Absolutely. There is no doubt that storytelling is an effective way to connect with your customers and capture the brand story as it relates to wine. It also depends on the wine and its price range. Often, super premium wines do not need to elaborate and communicate with the consumer, preferring to leave it to their imagination.

Mainstream consumers are reaching an age where they want to know more. They want to know everything there is to know about wine, such as how it is made, where the grapes come from, sustainable practises, flavour notes, and so on. Storytelling has been a huge trend for the last decade and will continue to be so.

Plaisir de Merle Charles Marais

Created in honour of the 17^th century Huguenot founder of Plaisir de Merle, this layered offering represents true luxury. The sublime, immersive experience begins with a black Wibalin box, subtly embossed. Opening to reveal a proud bottle silhouette wrapped in fine tissue paper detailing the brand story and wine credentials, tied with ribbon, and sealed with wax.

The label is printed on cotton-rich paper with an embossed French-style border, gold foil, and a monotone colour palette. The use of burgundy creates a subtle standout for the signature, which was created in collaboration with a calligrapher working from actual samples of Charles Marias’ handwriting.

The rich heraldic history is further explored in the De Wet gryphon and symbology. The overall result is a pared-down, elegant design where texture, details, and premium cues set a new benchmark for icon wines.

Thank you, Alastair, for sharing your thoughts, wisdom, and expertise with us. We wish you and your team every success in the future.

• Thanks for reading. It takes me between 8 and 12 hours to write and prepare each issue. If I had more time, I would have written a shorter newsletter.

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• I’m always on the lookout for new guests for your newsletter, so if you’ve got someone you’d like me to interview, email me and let me know, and I’ll see if it’s a good fit. Participating is absolutely FREE! - Yes, you read that right.

• Winemakers On Fire is written by Mike Carter and published every Sunday. My vision is to be recognised for giving more than taking and to use my talents and skills to positively impact others. Albert Einstein put it succinctly: "Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value."