Day 4 of our Chardonnay weekend dawned with the cold front looming on the horizon. Â We started with a gin & tonic (just for some variety in our lives) and kept a local Grenache and a Margaux in reserve just in case the rain and cold hit Paternoster.
Uva Mira entertained us with 2 super premium wines (their 2013 Chardonnay and The Single Tree) – both were delightful, yet clearly too young as the acidity (especially of The Single Tree) is almost eye-watering. Â The Glen Carlou Quartz Stone was a study in restraint and balance – we quaffed the whole bottle without even thinking of opening another…then we went the whole hog: Sampling the Paserene, made by Martin Smith, the award winning Groot Constantia and JH Meyer’s Chardonnay.
A few observations about our weekend’s tasting:
- South Africa’s wine consumers are spoiled by a wide range of top-quality Chardonnay, some at reasonable prices, some at pretty ambitious prices that are clearly not intended for local consumption
- We did not (and physically could not) taste all of the top flight Chardonnay available in South Africa.  We especially missed the Chamonix Reserve, Rustenberg Five Soldiers, Ataraxia, Stellenrust and De Wetshof (this list could go on and on).
- Acid, acid, acid. Â Some adjusted, some not.
- The use of excessive oak and toasting is definitely on the decline in South Africa.
- Elgin is by far the largest source of grapes for the top-line Chardonnays that we tasted
Our Top 5 Chardonnays of the weekend were Cape Point Vineyards 2013, Richard Kershaw Clonal Selection 2012 and 2013, Newton Johnson Family Vineyards 2014 and the Glen Carlou Quartz Stone 2013.
We had a great weekend, doing nothing but talk wine, taste wine and enjoy good company. Â We will be back to visit Paternoster, perhaps with more Chardonnays in tow…
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