Chardonnay Reserve, Greyton, 2021
The Chardonnay was the first of the Estate Reserve wines that Samantha made. Her affinity with the variety has made it one of the best and most consistent examples in the South African market. The 2022 has a structured, stony feel which underpins a wash of smooth, plush white fruits, honey and salted butter. It was a little reticent on first taste, requiring a bit of time to open up; its concentration and quality plain to see. We’d wager that this will be a good bet over the next five to ten years. Barrel fermented and aged in 500L Burgundy barrels for 11 months, 25% of which was new. Bottled at 12.5% alcohol.
critic reviews
Coming from unirrigated vines, the 2021 Estate Reserve Chardonnay offers hints of key lime pie with elegant oak tones that waft from the glass with precision and finesse. Medium-bodied, the wine compresses in the mouth, showing a beautiful blanket of oak with impeccable focus before the wine grows in amplitude and resonates with a long, brilliant finish. It's a fantastic Chardonnay that performs like a baby Burgundy.
The 2021 Chardonnay Estate Reserve is 100% from Greyton matured for 11 months in 500-litre barrels, 40% new. It has a wonderful bouquet with honeydew melon, apricot blossom and light crushed stone scents that percolate through with time. The palate is very well balanced with tropical hints of passion fruit and guava, but the acidity keeps everything on a tight course, very minerally on the finish. Top class.