Chardonnay. A grape both worshipped and reviled. It is the magical stuff of Montrachet, making $18,000 bottles of the most coveted white wines around, yet also responsible for the $6 bottles of movie-theater butter and tinned pineapple that have some people crying “Anything But Chardonnay!”
In my opinion, great Chardonnay can be epic, mind-blowing stuff, with a serious deliciousness quotient. Decent Chardonnay on the other hand can be pleasant but uninspiring stuff. And bad Chardonnay? Well, it’s positively awful. I’ll take bad Pinot or bad Merlot over bad Chardonnay any day of the week.
Chardonnay is the second-most planted white grape on the planet (after the rather obscure and unremarkable Airén), but certainly, the most widely embraced on a global scale. It’s pretty hard to name a major wine-producing country worldwide that doesn’t produce Chardonnay.
You could call it versatility, you could call it mutability, you could call it plasticity—the fact of the matter is that Chardonnay can be grown in many places, and made into many different types of wines. Put bluntly? It’s pretty damn easy to grow, at least compared to many other top grape varieties.
I’ve heard more than one producer refer to Chardonnay as ‘the winemaker’s grape.’ Whereas varieties such as Pinot Noir or Riesling are often thought of as primarily communicating place, some suggest that Chardonnay wines might more often demonstrate specificity of intent than place.
That’s not to say there aren’t positively brilliant expressions of terroir in Chardonnay. Chablis fanatics can come to blows arguing for the transparency of the grape when it comes to expressing specific sites, and few can argue with the utter site-distinctiveness of the Côte de Beaune’s most renowned wines.
Outside of these hallowed terroirs, however, Chardonnay’s reputation remains far less established, its link to specific sites far less universally accepted. Consequently, producers everywhere from California to Australia sometimes find it challenging to place their wines in context, whether that be style, quality level, or inevitably, price.
All of which is how I ended up sitting down to three flights of world-class Chardonnay on my recent press trip to South Africa. Hosted at the beautiful stone-and-glass Kliphuis, owned by Capensis Wines (with the stunning view shown above), the purpose of this little gathering was to take a look at some of South Africa’s best Chardonnays alongside some reference bottles from regions around the world.
As I sat down to taste (with great anticipation and excitement) I found myself having a small moment of deja-vu. Nine years ago I participated in pretty much exactly the same exercise in New Zealand. It was an eye-opening exercise.
A Relatively Short History
South Africa has been growing Chardonnay only since the early 1980s. The oldest Chardonnay vineyard in the country dates to 1981, and was almost certainly the result of smuggled cuttings from Burgundy and Switzerland, as were several of the other early installations of the grape.
Early Chardonnay pioneers included Hamilton Russell and De Wetshof, but the last few decades have seen a significant proliferation of plantings. South Africa now has 21,000 acres of Chardonnay in the ground, making up 15% of the country’s total vineyard acreage, farmed and vinified by hundreds of different producers. With some notable exceptions, Chardonnay seems to be concentrated in the cooler sub-regions of South Africa, the epicenter of which is Robertson, a small zone smack-dab in the center of the Western Cape.
A Brilliant Tasting
Our hosts for this tasting were three luminary producers of South African Chardonnay: Hamilton Russel, one of the grape’s pioneers and one of the most acclaimed producers in South Africa, Richard Kershaw, a master of wine who decided in 2012 to make Chardonnay (and Pinot) in South Africa’s coldest wine region, and Capensis, a relative newcomer started by Antony Beck and Barbara Banke of Jackson Family Wines that quickly became a benchmark producer of the variety.
We tasted the wines in three flights of four, semi-blind. Meaning that we knew which four wines were in each flight, but not which wine was which. Blind tasting is always incredibly humbling for those of us who don’t actively practice it on a regular basis. I felt pretty good about the fact that I correctly identified the white Burgundies and matched two wines out of each flight of four correctly.
So how does South African Chardonnay stack up? Pretty damn well, I’d say. The top examples that were part of this tasting, as well as the many others I tasted (see the additional tasting notes I’ve included below) demonstrated finesse, restraint, vibrancy, and balance in great measure.
At its best, South African Chardonnay has an electric brightness, fantastic minerality, and sometimes what felt like a wonderful sea-borne freshness that I found positively thrilling. These wines, while they might not manage to express quite as much mineral depth as the white Burgundies in the tasting (which proved relatively easy to spot in this exercise), they certainly stood shoulder-to-shoulder with them in overall quality. In some cases, they clearly outshone some of the global reference bottlings, many of which were two to five times more expensive.
It isn’t possible (perhaps because of factors cited above) to definitively describe what South African Chardonnay ‘tastes like.’ Differences in site and winemaking make for a wide variety of interpretations of the grape. On the whole, however, producers seem to show remarkable restraint in the application of oak, and generally favor higher acidity and lower alcohol than, say, the average California producer (though this may be as much a factor of the climate as winemaker intent).
All these factors add up very much to the credit of South Africa when it comes to making this most popular of grapes. Sadly, however, that doesn’t seem to have persuaded the local populace, who seem much less interested in Chardonnay than Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc. According to our hosts at this tasting, only 10% of the country’s roughly 4.5 million cases of Chardonnay are sold in-country.
That might be sad for local producers, but potentially good news for those of us elsewhere around the globe.
Notes on the wines from this tasting can be found below, followed by other Chardonnay highlights from my recent trip.
Tasting Notes
2019 Richard Kershaw “Clonal Selection Elgin” Chardonnay, Elgin, Western Cape, South Africa
Light greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of tropical fruits and lemon curd. In the mouth, bright acidity enlivens notes of apple, lemon curd, and a hint of tropical fruits. Faint minerality, really bracing acidity. Aged in 42% new oak. 13.5% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $40. click to buy.
2019 Henri Boillot “Les Folatiers” Chardonnay, Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru, Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France
Pale greenish gold in the glass this wine smells of struck match and resin. In the mouth, bright lemon pith and mineral notes, stones, and citrus oil have a vibrant, zingy minerality. Faint salinity and excellent acidity. Delicious. Aged in 50% new oak. 14.5% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $214. click to buy.
2019 Hirsch Vineyards “Estate” Chardonnay, Fort Ross-Seaview, Sonoma, California
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon curd and white flowers and wet chalkboard. In the mouth, wet chalkboard and lemon curd flavors have a lovely silky texture. Very good acidity. Aged in 27% new French and American oak. 12.8% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $60. click to buy.
2019 Ten Minutes by Tractor “McCutcheon” Chardonnay, Mornington Penninsula, Victoria, Australia
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of slightly flinty white flowers and lemon pith. In the mouth, delicate flavors of wet chalkboard, lemon pith, flowers, and a touch of resin have great acidity and a nice length. Spends 10 months in 30% new oak. 13.5% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $78. click to buy.
2018 Hamilton Russell Chardonnay, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Western Cape, South Africa
Pale gold in the glass this wine smells of apples and lemons. In the mouth, bright lemon and green apple notes have a nice brightness and a hint of applesauce on the finish. Potentially a hot vintage? Decent acidity. Spends 9 months in 29% new oak. 13.2% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $45. click to buy.
2019 Catena Zapata “White Stones – Adrianna Vineyard ” Chardonnay, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of tropical fruits and lemon curd. In the mouth, the wine has a nice stony underbelly with intense tropical fruit, lemon curd, and softer acidity than I would like. Spends 12-16 months in used oak. 12.9% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $120. click to buy.
2019 Domaine du Cellier Aux Moines “Les Pucelles” Chardonnay, Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru, Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of struck match, wet stones, and white flowers. In the mouth, gorgeous, intense mineral notes mix with lemon curd and lemon pith. Quite stony with fantastic acidity and a nice salinity in the finish. 14% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $130. click to buy.
2019 Hamilton Russell “Maple Grove” Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Pale greenish gold in color, this wine smells of crushed stones and white flowers. In the mouth, elegant, stony flavors are bright with wet chalkboard, lemon pith, and lemon oil. White flowers linger in the finish. Excellent acidity. Spends 13 months in 34% new oak. 13.8% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $65. click to buy.
2019 Capensis Chardonnay, Western Cape, South Africa
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon curd, a hint of pineapple, and oak. In the mouth, rich lemon curd and wet chalkboard flavors are faintly saline and are bright and juicy with excellent acidity. Silky textured with a long finish. Spends 10 months in 30% new French oak. 13.5% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $80. click to buy.
2019 Aubert “Lauren Vineyard” Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma
Pale yellow-gold in color, this wine smells of oak and apples. In the mouth, lemon curd, apple, and white flowers mix with a touch of oak. Comes across as overly sweet and just slightly flabby. 15% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $220. click to buy.
2019 Gaja “Gaia and Rey” Chardonnay, Langhe, Italy
Pale gold in color, this wine smells of wet chalkboard, cheese rind, and white flowers. In the mouth, faintly stony lemon curd flavors have a brightness with excellent acidity. There’s a touch of heat on the finish. Slightly odd. Spends 8 months in French oak. 14.5% alcohol. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $300. click to buy.
2019 Giaconda Chardonnay, Beechworth, Victoria, Australia
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of struck match and candied lemon. In the mouth, saline flavors of lemon curd, citrus oil, and struck flint linger through a long finish with hints of grapefruit. Fantastic acidity. Ages in 30% new French oak. 13.5% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $175. click to buy.
A Few More Exceptional Chardonnays
Here are a few more outstanding Chardonnays from South Africa that I tasted during my recent visit.
2017 Longridge “Clos du Ciel” Chardonnay, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of wet pavement and floral scents mixed with citrus oils. In the mouth, zippy grapefruit flavors mix with lemon and wet chalkboard all vibrating with sizzling acidity and notes of dried herbs. Fantastically bright, persistent, and long. Farmed organically. 12.5% alcohol. Score: around 9.5. Cost: $32. click to buy.
2022 Tesselaarsdal Chardonnay, Hemel-en-Aarde, Western Cape, South Africa
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon curd, lemon juice, citrus oil, and sea air. In the mouth, bright lemon curd flavors are tangy and juicy and enlivened with fantastic acidity. Aged in amphora. 13% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $39. click to buy.
2021 Delaire Graff “Banghoek Reserve” Chardonnay, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of apple and lemon with a brisk mineral note. In the mouth, the wine tastes of bright lemon and lemon curd flavors with a nice saline overtone and zippy, mouthwatering acidity. Barrel-fermented in 50% new French oak. 13.5% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $26. click to buy.
2021 Hamilton Russel Chardonnay, Hemel-en-Aarde, Western Cape, South Africa
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon curd and lemon oil. In the mouth, wonderful lemon curd and lemon oil flavors morph into deeply mineral lemon juice flavors that have a fantastic crystalline quality. Gorgeous. Amazing acidity. 13.5% alcohol Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $42. click to buy.
2019 Hartenberg “The Eleanor” Chardonnay, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon pith and lemon oil with floral notes on top. In the mouth, the wine is bright and pithy with a slightly saline quality and flavors of lemon juice, lemon pith, and wet stones. There’s great acidity here and resonant minerality. Excellent. 13% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $43. click to buy.
2021 Craven Wines Chardonnay, Polkadraai Hills, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon curd, lemon pith, and lemon juice. In the mouth, saline lemon pith, grapefruit, and a touch of herbs mix with wet chalkboard and a nice lemon peel note. Excellent acidity. 11.5% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $36. click to buy.
2021 Laarman Wines “Focal Point” Chardonnay, Cape South Coast, South Africa
Light gold in the glass with a hint of green, this wine smells of lemon curd and citrus peel. In the mouth, wonderfully saline flavors of lemon curd, lemon peel, grapefruit, and wet chalkboard have a wonderful silky, texture and bright deep mouthwatering acidity. 13.5% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $??
2020 Capensis “Silene” Chardonnay, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon pith, lemon peel, and lemon curd. In the mouth, lemon peel and pith have a bright saline quality with hints of grapefruit and orange rind. Excellent acidity, hints of vanilla lingering in the finish. Made from three different vineyard sites in Stellenbosch. 14% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $41. click to buy.
2017 Capensis Chardonnay, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa
Light greenish gold in color, this wine smells of yellow herbs and a touch of chartreuse liqueur. In the mouth, lemon and lime plus grapefruit mix with lemon curd and lemongrass. Crisp and bright with a hint of candied citrus in the finish. 14% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $75. click to buy.
2021 Hogan Chardonnay, Banghoek, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa
Light gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon pith and grapefruit. In the mouth, lemon pith, lemon peel, and grapefruit are deeply stony and bright with hints of yellow herbs in the finish. 12% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $??
2020 Kruger Family Wines “Old Vines” Chardonnay, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of grapefruit pith and lemon peel and wet chalkboard. In the mouth, saline notes of lemon pith, grapefruit, crushed stones, and white flowers have a wonderful crystalline quality. Long finish. 13% alcohol. Vines planted in 1982, the second oldest planting in the country. 13.5% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $??
2020 Van Loggerenberg “Break a Leg” Chardonnay, Polkadraai Hills, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of struck flint and lemon zest. In the mouth, saline flavors of gunflint, lemon zest, grapefruit pith, and juicy salty lemonade are bright and delicious. Fermented and aged entirely in steel. 12% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $18. click to buy.
2021 Aslina Chardonnay, Western Cape, South Africa
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon curd and lemon pith, with a hint of white flowers. In the mouth, white floral notes mix with lemon pith, lemon curd, and a stony underbelly. Bright and juicy. 13.5% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $23. click to buy.
2019 Lammershoek “Mysteries – Die Ou Nooi” Chardonnay, Swartland, Western Cape, South Africa
Light greenish gold in the glass, this wine has a stony lemon pith aroma with hints of crushed shells. In the mouth, flavors of lemon pith and grapefruit are bright and stony and undergirded by a wet chalkboard minerality. Deeply, deeply stony. These vines were planted in 1981, and are the oldest planting of Chardonnay in South Africa. 13% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $??
2019 Thelema Chardonnay, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon pith and lemon curd. In the mouth, lemon peel and candied citrus flavors have a bright zingy quality with hints of bitter citrus lingering in the finish. Lightly chalky grip. Tight and lean. 13% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $28. click to buy.
2022 Fram Chardonnay, Robertson, Western Cape, South Africa
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of bruised apples and herbs. In the mouth, bright apple and lemon peel flavors are juicy and a little saline, with excellent acidity. Includes 10% barrel-fermented Chenin Blanc from the previous vintage. 12.5% alcohol. Closed with a screwcap. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $23. click to buy.
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