Winemaker Notes
A wine of tension and concentration. Lemongrass, basil stem, lime and concentrated white stone fruit flavours. Absolutely world class.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Sappy, fragrant, citrus notes on the nose with white peach and pear fruit on the palate. Fleshy texture but all kept in check with crisp acidity and a cool palate feel. Hannes Storm's objective is to craft site specific wines, with 516 cases produced here in the Valley. Vines face north-east on slopes of stony, clay-rich Bokkeveld shale. 25% new oak used. Another fine wine from Storm, very well judged in the warmer 2022 vintage.
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James Suckling
White apricots, peaches, hazelnuts and cream on the nose. Textured and creamy, with a medium to full body and deliciously fleshy white stone fruit. Lemon rind freshness at the end. Excellent concentration. 516 cases produced. Drink or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
With a fresh and mineral-driven nose, the 2022 Vrede Chardonnay opens with gorgeous lemon pastry cream essences, oak spices and hints of yellow apples and Meyer lemon. Medium-bodied, the wine expands on the palate with surprising weight and freshness that remains constant as it uncoils and opens with elegance and finesse that has me coming back for more. Lingering with succulently sweet citrus and yellow apple tones, this beautiful Chardonnay ends with a spicy, food-friendly finish. Chardonnay lovers, you'll want to add this to your cellar. Just under 3,100 bottles were produced after resting for eight months in 30% new French oak.
Rating: 94+
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
A relatively cool, maritime climate area, Walker Bay includes three important wards: Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. These sites benefit from the cooling ocean winds and are reputed for the production of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinotage.