White Wine Glenelly Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2020. French winemaker May de Lencquesaing was the owner of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande in Bordeaux for some 30 years before purchasing this stunning property in South Africa’s Stellenbosch region. Despite being 78 years old in 2003 when she bought the 123-hectare property, she quickly transformed it into a thriving winery producing excellent and affordable wines that combine Old World elegance with New World verve. This stunning Chardonnay is made in a classic Grand Vin” style as the estate’s premier white wine. Fruit is exclusively sourced and harvested by hand from prized vineyards planted in 2007 in Simonsberg. Then once in the winery the grapes are pressed as whole bunches and fermented and matured in new and used 500 litre barrels for 10 months on the lees. Complex layers of baked apple, candied citrus, and toasted nuts mingle on the nose, while the first sip reveals a smooth texture, medium body, and long finish with hints of cinnamon, vanilla and fresh pastries and a bright streak of acidity. The fine balance of this elegant white makes it a great choice for salads, seafood or fish dishes as well as roast chicken and mature cheeses.
2020
White Wine Glenelly Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2020
White Wine Greywacke Wild Sauvignon Blanc 2020. Kevin Judd worked at the legendary Cloudy Bay winery for over 25 years, helping to put them on the map as the benchmark for Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Greywacke is his personal wine label which he named after the distinctive grey sedimentary rock which characterises the local soils. Kevin makes his Greywacke wines at Dog Point Winery using top quality fruit that he personally selects from prime vineyards across the Marlborough region using his wide network of partner growers. For this cuvee Kevin sources fruit from Marlborough’s Wairau Plains and Southern Valleys. Some grapes are harvested by hand and some by machine, and the fruit is then lightly-pressed and transferred into neutral oak barrels. The must is then left to ferment with wild yeasts for six months followed by another six months of maturation on the lees. The result is an intricately complex and intense white wine which has impressive layers of aromatics and flavours ranging from shortbread, almond, and vanilla notes to blood orange, smoked tea, and tarragon. On the palate there is a rich creamy texture, medium body and ripe stone fruit flavours carefully balanced by a vibrant streak of freshness and a pure, clean finish.
2020
White Wine Chartron et Trebuchet Chablis 2020. Maison Chartron et Trebuchet have a stellar reputation in France for making top quality white Burgundy at very affordable price points. They’re able to achieve this since they act as a negociant, or wine merchant, rigorously selecting only the very finest grapes from prized sites in Côte d’Or and the Maconnais. To ensure they get great fruit, they carefully monitor the vines during the growing season and harvest all of the fruit by hand. This Chablis is a great example of the Chartron et Trebuchet philosophy, offering an impressive profile that punches high above the pricetag. The winemaking is precise and targeted, allowing the natural varietal character of the Chardonnay and the flinty Chablis terroir to shine through with minimal oak treatment. Wines are also racked in the traditional manner, avoiding any unnecessary filtering which may alter the taste of the wine. The result is a crisp, refreshing Chablis that’s bursting with zingy citrus, a delicate stony minerality, and hints of orchard fruits on the nose. The first sip reveals a bright acidity to complement the gorgeous fruit flavours, ending in a pure, clean finish. Great served as an aperitif before dinner or as a match for fresh seafood, spicy Asian dishes, or even sushi.
2020