Winemaker Notes
This South African Chardonnay from Burgundy maestro Philippe Colin boasts vivid citrus flavors and a gorgeous toastiness, leading to a lavish mouthfeel. The wine displays bright acidity with a fresh finish of subtle lime.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
As the name suggests, the 2021 Chardonnay Sandstone comes from sandstone soils in Franschhoek. The nose offers a brilliant balance of minerality and yellow pomaceous character before sweet Meyer lemon and subtle hints of toasted almonds waft from the glass. Medium-bodied and with 13% alcohol, the Chardonnay offers a fresh and clean mouthfeel with energetic acidity before coming to a bright, complex finish. After spending a year in French oak barrels, the wine was transferred to stainless steel tanks for 12 months of further resting. Rating: 91+
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.
Originally named Franschhoek meaning the “French Corner” because it was home to the influx of French Huguenots, today the valley contains many historic cellars and is an important tourist location because of its proximity to Cape Town.
This valley falls to the southeast of Paarl and is enclosed on three sides by towering mountains. Streams from the slopes flow down to the valley floor, converging to form the Berg River. The area excels in the production of full-bodied reds.