Last weekend I had a fabulous lunch at Vergelen’s Camphors Restaurant. One of the courses was a gorgeously crafted dish that consisted of crispy, perfectly round puffs filled with luscious Gruyere (sorry, we ate it too quickly to take a photo), paired with Vergelegen’s 2013 Chardonnay Reserve.
There could not have been a better combo: the rich, gooey Gruyere and the toasty, citrus flavours of the Chardonnay. Ah, this was seductive stuff!
The Chardonnay tasted pretty damn amazing on its own too. For R250 a bottle one would hope so, but it really is superb: lush, oaky and substantial but still ravishingly smooth. I am a sucker for a rich, intense and almost buttery Chardonnay and this one is a fine example of that.
We were told that it recently won Gold at the International Wine Challenge, one of the worlds’ most meticulous wine judging competitions, so I’m sure there will soon be a lot of well-deserved hype surrounding this wine.
How would I serve this decadent Chardonnay? As indulgently as I can, of course. I had to buy a bottle for the next date night, in which I will serve an impeccably chilled bottle paired with a mean grilled cheese sandwich. Heaven!
The lowdown
Name:Â 2013 Vergelegen Chardonnay Reserve
Winery: Vergelegen
Price: R250.00 a bottle
The verdict: Creamy, lush and decadent. A worthy splurge.
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