| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | South Africa |
| Colour | White |
| Type | Still |
The 2024 Klein Hemel Chardonnay, which was previously called "estate", comes from fruit grown on the estate, matured for 12 months in barrel with a small proportion in stainless steel. This has a clean and precise bouquet, very focused, just a little flintiness in the background. The palate is fresh and crisp on the entry with orange rind and citrus fruit, segueing into a slightly more malic, Chablis-like finish. This is a classy Chardonnay that is full of energy and salinity. Excellent.
The basic Restless River Chardonnay uses younger vine material and around 20% of the 26-year-old Ava Marie vineyard. It's a very smart white from Craig Wessels, overcoming the challenges of a tricky vintage. Barrel fermented in 10% new oak with 50% malolactic, it's a refined, tangy, elegant white with citrus, wet stone and rice pudding notes and a lingering finish.
