Chardonnay 'Stellenbosch'

Score

95

"Attractive aromas of spiced apples, praline, hazelnuts, salted caramel and salted butter. Wonderfully concentrated and rich but with bright acidity and a delicious saltiness. Very long. From a single vineyard at 400m elevation in the Helderberg. Drink now or hold."

Score

95

"The Leeu Passant 2023 Stellenbosch Chardonnay comes from high gravel slopes on the Helderberg Mountain near False Bay, where cooling winds from the Atlantic keep vineyard temperatures below 28 degrees Celsius and allow for long, slow ripening in a Mediterranean climate. Timing was critical in 2023, as blocks picked late were affected by rain, yet this site retained remarkable freshness and vitality. The wine spends one year on its primary lees in 225-liter French oak without sulfur, enhancing textural depth and saline detail, before being blended and returned to oak for a second year of maturation. Wind exposure during flowering can cause shatter, naturally reducing yields and increasing concentration. The result is vibrant and awake on the palate, layered with energy and tension, reflecting the maritime influence of False Bay and the granitic underpinnings of the Helderberg. The wine paints a beautiful portrait of South African Chardonnay, rich in flavor intensity and dimension."

Score

94

"The 2023 Chardonnay Stellenbosch comes from a single vineyard at 400m altitude that tends to ripen slowly, aged in 225-litre barrels for 12 months, plus eight months in barrel after blending. It has a generous bouquet with light honey and yellow fruit, all very well defined and pure. The palate is very well balanced with ample weight combined with a taut line of acidity. Very elegant in style, harmonious with a judicious hint of ginger on the finish, this is a marvellous follow-up to the '23."