Quick 6 for International Chardonnay Day - 2021

A quick 6 pick of Chardonnay this morning ahead of International Chardonnay Day! The white grape variety with styles that vary from the creamy & wooded to the lean & sparkling. Originally birthed & mastered in Burgundy, France. But lets rather delve into something local - I believe South Africa has some of the top Chardonnay in the world & at some of the best price points that will definitely be serious value for money. 

I went through my stash over the weekend & pulled out some of my favourites. But in no time, I had too many to write about. So I decided to go with those that have a special place in my memory, so I settled on a quick 6. In no particular order (because each one is a pure beauty in it's own way):

Van Loveren - 2018 Christina 

Full bodied with creamy textures & hints at oak. Typical citrus notes accompanied by those buttery aromas. A wine that goes with so much. I am a lover of carrot cake and some of the best carrot I've ever had was that which my Gran baked when I was younger. Rich & bold with creamy frosting. The roasted pecan nuts adding something that reminds me of hints of oak. An unusual but unique pairing. 

Quoin Rock - Chardonnay
I was fortunate enough to have lunch at the estate on a #WineRoutingWithLloyd trip that was absolutely phenomenal. It's one experience from that tip that to this day still stands out. The pairing that stood out the most, was the Chardonnay with a Pickled King Oyster Mushroom. Complementary & contrasting flavours that combine to bring out the best in both the wine & the dish. Creaminess of the mushroom contrasting against the light citrus notes of the wine. The wine finishing off elegantly leaving you wanting more. 

Ataraxia - 2018 Chardonnay

If you've never been to Upper Hemel-en-Aarde, I highly recommend it! This tasting room or 'Wine Lounge' is situated on a hill at the base of Babel mountain & most people initially see it and think it is a chapel of sort. It is exquisite. My memory here is from sipping on a glass of Chardonnay whilst in conversation with winemaker, Kevin Grant & then getting to ring the tower bell on a #WineRoutingWithLloyd trip. (See it here.) This Chardonnay is like no other with a minerality that mimics the terroir it's been grown in. A freshness of citrus accompanied with oakiness that rounds of with a smooth finish.

Creation - 2018 Reserve Chardonnay
Chardonnay makes a very good breakfast wine in my opinion. The creamy textures of eggs benedict with a fresh hollandaise match up perfectly with a big bold glass of slightly chilled Chardonnay. At Creation - they offer a very affordable "Brunch Pairing." (Check out more of it here.) This is a fragrant Chardonnay with lemon blossoms combined with honeycomb. Further on the nose - grapefruit & a touch of cinnamon. Bold & creamy, yet soft & elegant with a delightful Upper Hemel-en-Aarde minerality that finishes off & lingers just long enough until the next sip. 

La Motte - 2017 Chardonnay
Around 13 years ago I went on holiday to visit family in Cape Town & on a day trip to Franschhoek, La Motte was the very first wine farm that I ever visited. So it will always stand out in my memory as one of those special places that opened up the world of wine for me. This Chardonnay is a medium/full bodied glass full of citrus notes with hints at white peaches & oak. Finishing off with a smooth freshness. A lovely wine to accompany fresh seafood or on it's own in every season. 

La Bri - 2016 Chardonnay
La Bri is where my love for Chardonnay originates. Years ago, at a tasting up in Pretoria I met winemaker, Irene. Initially I told her that I only drank Sauvignon Blanc - but she challenged me to give her Chardonnay a go. This beauty is clear & hints at pineapples, white peaches & creamy lemons. The finish is elegant & smooth whilst a nuttiness of fresh biscuits lingers a while longer. Whilst explaining the flavours & aromas that I noted, something in that moment just hit home & I knew I was missing out on Chardonnay. 

So many more memories accompanied by a good glass of Chardonnay. You should be exploring your palate & giving them all a go this #ChardonnayDay! 

Journey's End - Precision Series

The Precision range from Journey's End Wines is of a very small production of wines, sitting at the tip of the pyramid at Journey's End & consists of three super premium wines:
 - Destination Chardonnay
 - Cape Doctor Bordeaux Red Blend
 - The Griffin Syrah

The entire range of wines from Journey's End is split into 3 tiers, each with their own character. It was recently decided to revamp all 3 wine series; Tales Series, V Series & Precision Series. With a creative new packaging to give clearer differentiation between the 3 tiers & to better reflect the character of Journey's End, the team & the wines - whilst always pushing boundaries, being forward-thinking, innovative & somewhat quirky. 

 

The Gabb family started their wine journey in SA back in 1995, when Roger Gabb bought the Journey's End farm situated on the south-west facing slopes of the Schapenberg Hills, overlooking False Bay. It is here that the vineyards enjoy the many benefits of the unique cool-climate terroir. Vineyards are fanned by the cleansing & cooling powerful wind that blows in from the nearby ocean, ensuring perfect conditions for a lower yield & slower ripening. Essentially leaving us with highly concentrated grapes with firm acidity. Due to the wind, fungal diseases & pests are almost non-existent, which allows for the implementation of biodynamic farming principles.

The very modern cellar provides Cellarmaster - Leon Esterhuizen & Winemaker - Mike Dawson, with everything they need to produce high-quality wines. The winery's philosophy is one of minimal interference winemaking, allowing nature to run its course & using only the highest specification oak barrels, concrete eggs & terracotta amphorae to add a unique touch of complexity & sophistication. Through combining traditional winemaking methods, modern technology & a degree of experimentation to produce dynamic fruit-driven wines with great elegance & depth.

The Chardonnay is definitely a 'Destination' Chardonnay. Being rich & full, the nose exhibits concentrated apricot & ripe peach with layers of citrus. The fruit component is complemented by well-balanced almond & vanilla spice (from some generous oak aging). Minerality ensures freshness & adds linearity to a long-lasting creamy finish. Ready to drink now, or keep in the cellar for another 10 years.

The Cape Doctor Bordeaux Blend, named after the cooling south-easterly wind that blows through the vineyards from False Bay. Exhibiting darker fruits & rich fruitcake on the nose, accompanied by cinnamon spice & dark chocolate. A creamy texture complemented by blackberries & soft elegant tannins delivering a beautiful long-lasting finish. Pop this in the back of the cellar & rediscover it in about 15 years.

The 'Griffin' is a mythical creature (half eagle & half lion) known to protect very precious things & is a part of the Gabb's Welsh heritage - you'll find it on their family crest. A 100% Syrah undergoing carbonic maceration leaves us with a youthful yet complex wine with a warm & seductive nose displays luscious red & black berry fruits. Hints of violets edged in vanilla, pepper & an earthy character. Rich & succulent black fruit flavours are supported by silky tannins, giving structure & delivering an elegant lingering finish. The American oak adds subtle caramel notes, some weight & mouthfeel. Stock up on this baby to keep for another 6 years. 

The X-Factor of Franschhoek Chardonnay

Did you know? Together with Sauvignon Blanc & Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay is 1 of 3 most planted varieties in Franschhoek,

Did you know? Together with Semillon, Chardonnay is regarded as the future of wine production in the Valley.

La Motte recently released their 2015 Chardonnay & their 2013 Méthode Cap Classique, which is 68% Chardonnay.

Cellarmaster Edmund Terblanche shares his ideas around why Franschhoek Chardonnay so special: "Chardonnay's popularity makes it one of the most planted white varieties in the world - about 160,000 ha. It is also planted in more wine grape areas than any other grape variety."

In recent years many a viticulturist (a fancy name for those guys that grow grapes) have come to an agreement that Chardonnay is an easy variety to produce, as it can be planted in most wine countries & still result in a wine of a satisfactory quality. 

So with a bit of research, I discovered that Chardonnay best performs when planted in a lime-rich almost chalky, poor & well-drained soil with a much cooler climate.

Now, Franschhoek does not have a lime-rich soil & we all now that it the climate in Franschhoek is most definitely not cool, but they do have the poor well-drained soil. But is this actually enough to give us the best Chardonnay? It must be something special, that special X-Factor that has the Chardonnay from the Valley consistently performing well & being listed under the Top 10 of the Chardonnay du Monde competition. 

Something that I was taught a while back, is that you need to use all 5 your senses to enjoy a glass of wine properly.

So here is how you go about it:

1. Hearing. You toast to good wine & clink your glass with another.

2. Sight. Look at the wine & what do you see. 

3. Smell. Take in the aroma of the wine & identify what you smell on the nose

4. Feel. Take a sip of wine & swirl it in your mouth. Left-to-Right. Back-to-Front. Let it roll over your tongue & feel the wine move in your mouth.

5. Taste. The easy part. What do you taste? Identify some of the flavours that coming through & are prominent on your palate.

So I indulged in a bottle of the La Motte 2015 Chardonnay over the December holiday & here are my notes.

1. I shared a glass with my Dad & we toasted to family being together over the festive season. Cheers.

2. The La Motte 2015 Chardonnay has a light straw colouring.

3. Initially I picked up on the fruity smell. On the 2nd take, I pick up pears & then there is a slight sweet oak somewhere.

4. Wow. What a smooth, creamy & polished wine. For some reason, La Motte seems to get this right with a lot of their wines. 

5. A beautiful lingering citrus taste of a fresh lime & the after taste of green apples.

A bit of background info on the La Motte Chardonnay:

- Originates from La Motte & is planted 200 m above sea-level on southern & south-western slopes.

- At the cellar you can get a bottle for R110 each.

- Alcohol - 12.35% vol

- Residual sugar - 1.5 g/l

- Total acid - 6.1 g/l

- pH - 3.55

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