Chardonnay is the chameleon of the grape world, capable of producing diverse age-worthy dry wine styles ranging from crisp and light through to powerful and textured. Part of Chardonnay's charm is its versatility, meaning it's a popular choice for wine lovers everywhere.
From full-bodied, often oaky, with buttery textures in California to crisp, rich and tropical flavours found in Australia, a glass of Chardonnay is always sure to delight.
This wine bursts forth with ripe pineapple, golden delicious apple, and lime zest characters, with enticing hints of lemon curd tart, sweet cream, vanilla pod, and a touch of cedar smoke. Lingering floral notes of jasmine and citrus blossom intermingle with toasted almond, cashew, and hints of yellow peach to charm. The bright minerally yet rich palate is fine and focused with delicious vanilla custard creaminess and poached apple overlaying green melon and juicy cucumber freshness. The fresh finish is long, displaying toasted hazelnut and a vibrant lemon juiciness expressing the mineral core of this viscous yet flinty chardonnay. The oatmeal biscuit and cinnamon notes from the oak are well integrated and complex.
Enticing notes of pencil shavings and sweet spice are front and center on the nose, with additional aromas of baked apple, pressed yellow flowers and orange oil. The palate shows great balance, with a bright seam of acidity that keeps the apple and orange fruit pure and focused. Lovely accents of toasted brioche and wood spice carry the enduring finish. - Lauren Buzzeo
The 2019 Capensis Western Cape Chardonnay is a culmination of eight remarkable vineyards – a balanced, layered, and complex translation of the region’s varied terroir. Tangerine marmalade and Fuji apple aromatics lead you to a rich, mineral palate lifted by lime citrus and bright salinity. While drinking beautifully now, this world-class Chardonnay will gain ever more complexity in your cellar.
Special consideration is exercised in the selection of each vine that becomes a part of this blend to ensure depth, finesse, and quality of the highest level is apparent in the glass. Intense and concentrated, the 2015 Fijnbosch Chardonnay opens with aromas of toasted brioche, lime, satsuma and ripe orange peel. The density carries through to a rich palate full of marmalade and a long mineral finish accentuated by a seam of acid which holds together the tightly woven tension and length.
“Capensis” is Latin for “from the Cape” and pays homage to one of the world’s oldest winemaking regions, South Africa’s Western Cape. Silene is sourced from two vineyards in the Stellenbosch District, where warm summer days meet cool afternoon sea breezes. Lime, lemon, orange blossom and nectarine aromas explode from the glass, with just a hint of crème brûlée. A full palate of citrus and rich minerals drives a saline finish. Light. Lingering. Lasting.
Summer in a bottle, this Chardonnay is the perfect companion on a sunny day. It shines with flavours of white peach, nectarine and tropicals, with the gorgeous caress of oak.
The wine shows attractive notes of white peach, stone fruit, flint and minerality backed up with structure and balance from the careful selection of French oak barriques and considered fermentation for texture and weight along with fruit retention. Drink now or will benefit from cellaring of 5 – 7 years.
Seems to mark a style shift for what has been a very good wine from the start. This is a more precise and delicately structured chardonnay but still with an intensity and drive. It’s a combination of Gingin and Burgundian clones. Dominant white peach and slightly mealy character on the nose. Subtle toasty influences on a fine and lingering minerally palate with just a hint of crème brulee.
Light pale gold in colour. Fresh white peach, with a gentle honeycomb, caraway seed and spice on the nose. It has a light to medium-bodied refreshing palate. Stone fruit, fresh lemon curd and zest.
Near perfect conditions pre-harvest allowed for extra ‘hang time’ for the fruit to ripen and develop flavour. The result is a fresh and lively Chardonnay that evolves in the glass. Straw yellow in colour with pale lime hues, the first swirl brings charming aromas of salted caramel, stone fruit, buttered toast and subtle spices. The palate is full with a moreish creaminess, finely balanced texture and a long-lasting, impressive finish.
This layered wine has subtle citrus, citrus flower, mineral, ripe melon, fig and hazelnut on the palate overlaid with a complexity from lees contact and savoury oak. The palate is full but elegant, with a seam of minerality adding length and balance. Tasting notes on the nose are aromas of roasted nuts, toasted brioche, subtle creaminess and a hint of smoke.
Full-bodied yet finely textured wine with great length and complexity. The palate is powerful yet restrained with fine texture, great length and a balanced fresh acidity. This wine is ideally matched to seafood, poultry and lighter game dishes, particularly with an element of creaminess. Tasting notes include roasted nuts, toasted brioche, creaminess and a hint of smoke are present on the nose.
The finest free run juice was barrel fermented in predominantly older French oak to produce this finely textured, elegant Chardonnay. Vibrant citrus and stonefruit flavours are overlaid with subtle creamy oak and complexities of toasted hazelnut and brioche.
A massive fruit bomb with plenty of ripe stone fruit and lemony citrus acidity, creating length. The palate is very textural and creamy complex yet approachable.
There is power, acidity, length, and texture, all in harmonious balance with one another. The French oak provides the framework for the fruit, which sits beautifully on the palate and melds with the luxurious aromatics. The finish is long and salivating, with pink grapefruit and a charming toasty-nut character.
Cloudy Bay Chardonnay is one for connoisseurs and gastronomic adventurers: refined, poised and balanced. Painstakingly made using traditional techniques, it is a true ‘food wine’. Fruit from vineyards in the stony soils of Wairau Valley and the dense clay of the Southern Valleys work together to create a wine that marries ripe stone fruit and citrusy elegance.
