Five Fabulous Chardonnays For International Chardonnay Day

Thursday 24th May 2018 is International Chardonnay Day – here are Five Fabulous Chardonnays from Glenelly, Groote Post and Neil Ellis Wines.

GLENELLY ESTATE

Glenelly Glass Collection Chardonnay 2017 (Unwooded) This natural ferment and unoaked Chardonnay has a bright and brilliant colour with a slight green hue. The wine shows complex aromas of citrus peel, lemon, ripe pear and flint. On the palate there is a beautiful round comforting texture with wonderful length and intense fruit complexity. This zesty wine has palate weight from spending 8 months on its lees and will age very well.
Retail price: The Glenelly Glass Collection Chardonnay retails nationally at approximately R95.

Glenelly Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2016 (Wooded)
The Estate Reserve Chardonnay was naturally fermented, spent 11 months on its lees and a total of 11 months in new and 2nd-fill 500-litre casks. The Estate Reserve Chardonnay displays a wonderful bright crisp colour. The nose has tones of quince, citrus peel, lime and butterscotch with hints of pear drop. The palate is lush, with poise and balance. Vibrant citrus and mineral flavours lead the way to a long round textured finish.
Accolades: The Glenelly Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2016 was honoured with a 95-point rating from Tim Atkin.
Retail price: The Glenelly Estate Reserve Chardonnay retails nationally at approximately R230.

GROOTE POST ESTATE

Groote Post Unwooded Chardonnay 2017
The chardonnay grows on the highest hill on the property in the Darling Hills and thus the coolest spot. The unwooded style of Chardonnay is about maintaining freshness; therefore, the grapes need to be kept at 14—18 ˚ C during the crush, skin contact period and fermentation. The wine spent 3 months on the lees before filtration and bottling. Tropical, citrus and guava flavours are in abundance on the nose and palate. This vintage has a full and concentrated structure with very good ageing potential.
Approximate retail price: R97

Groote Post Kapokberg Chardonnay 2016 (Wooded)
Chardonnay grapes, with small berries, from high lying vineyards in the Darling Hills are left hanging late into the season to become fully ripe. The juice was fermented in 300-litre French oak barrels and aged on the lees for 10 months, 25% new oak and 75% older oak. This wine has an appealing golden straw colour and an enticing nose of toasted almonds with lashings of butter and zesty lime marmalade on the palate. An elegant chardonnay, it is well integrated with the wood and has a creamy palate.
Approximate retail price: R160

NEIL ELLIS WINES

Neil Ellis Whitehall Chardonnay 2016
The Neil Ellis Whitehall Chardonnay is a Terrain-Specific Single Vineyard Limited Release from the Whitehall Farm in the Elgin Valley, one of the Cape’s coolest wine growing areas. The grapes were whole-bunch pressed with gentle juice extraction. 100% barrel fermented; using 25% new 228 litre fine-grained French oak barrels and the rest in 2nd and 3rd fill oak barrels. The wine spent 9 months in 228 litre French oak barrels. The wine has an appealing light golden green colour with nectarine, lemon barley and white flower aromatics and a gorgeous citrus richness. It is an elegant wine with great texture, mouth-feel and freshness and superbly integrated oak. The finish is long and flavoursome with beautifully balanced acidity.
Accolades: This wine recently received a 94-point rating from Tim Atkin in his South African Wine Report.
Suggested retail price: R250

#ChardonnayDay

Issued by: POSY & JEREMY HAZELL
Pictures: SUPPLIED

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