Weren’t the Oscars appalling? All white and predictable, a bit like SA wine judging panels. Now Donald Trump may be famous for his tiny hands, but I’ve gone one better with a tiny wine column. Today we focus on a hugely accomplished Chardonnay from the Overberg.

Bottle of the Week: Lismore Chardonnay 2013

How much and where? R215; www.gourmandium.com

Why? Sunday’s Oscars are a secular Christmas with wise men, stars and wall to wall media coverage for months before the event. Lismore winemaker Samantha O’Keefe had a first career as a Hollywood producer before Bacchus called, long distance.

Today she makes a small range of wines from grapes grown on a former dairy farm called Lismore outside Greyton. As befits a Californian, her most accomplished wine is a chardonnay.

Except this chardonnay is an exception to the oaky, full-bodied Californian style. Sure, there is fruit for Africa but also an underlying minerality straight from the Riviersonderend mountains. But what glorious melodies O’Keefe conjures from her grapes – more Mama Cass than Red Hot Chili Peppers but a classic, nonetheless.

Greyton lost a battle for Hipster Heaven with Riebeek-Kasteel a decade ago when high petrol prices shrunk the day trip outer event horizon to one hour from Woodstock. Which caused the wines of the Overberg to play second fiddle to the Swartland. So today Lismore sits in splendid elegant isolation while Riebeek-Kasteel heaves with hirsute winemakers and hairier wines.

Rating: *****

***** Hotel California

**** California Dreamin’

*** California, here I come

** California Girls

* Californication