This is both a fuller bodied and more exotic vintage, showing white peach, papaya, jasmine and fragrant lemongrass on the nose. A palate of butterscotch and lemon curd is tart yet mouth-coating and cut by a stony, saline spine. Pronounced in its youth but can be aged to 2028 and perhaps beyond.

Crystallum 'the Agnes' Chardonnay

Crystallum is a small Hemel-en-Aarde winery, established in 2007 by brothers Peter-Allan and Andrew Finlayson. Their father Peter was a pioneer in the production of cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at Bouchard Finlayson, so after university, it seemed only natural for the brothers to return home and source fruit from the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley to create their own label.

Today, Crystallum is one of South Africa’s most highly regarded wineries and is at the forefront of the ‘New Wave’ movement. In 2021 Peter-Allan was named Tim Atkin MW’s ‘South African Winemaker of the Year’. He is always on the lookout for new vineyards and with each vintage he strives to make even better wines. The winemaking at Crystallum has evolved over the years, with all the wines now fermented with indigenous yeasts and the use of new oak reduced to preserve the purity of fruit.

Chardonnay (100%)

Chardonnay is one of the world’s most popular grapes, thanks to its number of different styles. You’ll find everything from lean and chalky to rich, creamy and aged in oak, and even some of the world’s finest sparkling wine too.