White Wine Jordan Nine Yards Chardonnay 2019. The Jordan story began in 1982 when Ted and Sheelagh purchased the 164 hectare estate in Stellenbosch and began to replant the land with varieties which were best suited to the local terroir. In 1993 Ted and Sheelagh’s son, Gary, and his wife Kathy took over the running of the estate and set the winery on a path to producing world-class wines. Gary and Kathy focus their attention on the natural advantages of their vineyards which are blessed with a pleasant Mediterranean climate and need little intervention in the winery to produce outstanding wines. The hot summers are cooled by breezes and early morning mists coming from the nearby Atlantic and Indian Oceans which helps to preserve a balancing acidity in their wines. Made with grapes sourced from the couple’s top vineyard, the Chardonnay vines used for this wine face south and east which helps to moderate temperatures and create an delicate aromatic character in the grapes. The result is a vibrant and elegant Chardonnay which bursts with fresh lime and lemon zest along with gentle hints of vanilla from the barrel fermentation and 11 months of maturation on the lees. The first sip reveals a rich creamy texture and intense fresh tropical fruit flavours which linger long on the tongue.
2019
White Wine Jordan Nine Yards Chardonnay 2019
White Wine Grgich Hills Fume Blanc 2019. Grgich Hills is named after legendary Napa winemaker Miljenko Mike” Grgich who shot to international fame in 1976 when a bottle of Chardonnay he had made for Chateau Montelena won a blind tasting competition known as the Judgement of Paris”. This historic event pitted many of France’s finest white Burgundies against completely unknown wines from California. Montelena’s surprise triumph proved the potential of Californian wines and helped establish Napa as a world-class wine region. The Grgich Hills estate boasts five top vineyards which are farmed organically and biodynamically to produce the very best fruit possible in harmony with nature. Solar power runs the winery and the winemaking process follows a strict minimal intervention approach. For fermentation they use wild yeasts and they vinify each lot separately to preserve the specific characteristics of the terroir. This Sauvignon Blanc is made in a rich and complex style with extended ageing on the lees and fermentation and maturation in oak. On the nose there are luscious tropical fruit notes as well as vanilla, toast and hints of fresh cream. The first sip reveals a rich, full-bodied character with pineapple, mango and a flinty minerality which persists on the long finish.
2019
White Wine Grgic Posip 2019. Miljenko or Mike” Grgich is a legendary figure on the California wine scene thanks to his groundbreaking work at Chateau Montelena in the early 1970s. His winemaking talent helped to put California on the map for world-class wine following the 1976 Judgement of Paris tasting. His Chateau Montelena Chardonnay beat many top Burgundies to be crowned as the finest white wine by the panel of French wine experts. In 1996 Mike decided to return to his Croatian roots by founding a brand-new winery by the Adriatic Sea close to the iconic coastal city of Dubrovnik. Here he works with typical indigenous grape varieties such as Plavac Mali for red wines and Posip for crisp and refreshing white wines. The grapes for this wine are sourced from Car on the island of Korčula where the cooling sea breezes help moderate the summer temperatures and lock in plenty of freshness and aromatics. To showcase the varietal character the grapes are fermented slowly at a low temperature, with the wine then aged in French oak barrels for 4-6 months before bottling. This produces an elegant and refined white which is bursting with mouthwatering freshness, crisp lemon, stone fruit and floral notes and a brilliantly pure and clean finish.
2019