A Week With South African Wine - Monday: The Chardonnays

by Andrew Chalk

I have been impressed by South African wines pretty much from my first contact with them. Nowadays they reflect expert winemaking, a God-given climate for grape growing, and good value. Recently, I was acquainted with another of the seemingly endless cast of small, family-run wineries in South Africa when the estimable John Gorman of Southern Starz wrote to me and said, "Oy! You have to try the wines of David Finlayson."

"David Finlayson?" I said. "What is his background?"

"Time at Château Margaux. Winemaker at Glen Carlou — their Chardonnay is the single most successful Chardonnay in South Africa. Long, consistent history, of course," replied Gorman.

I was intrigued, and waited with anticipation to taste the wines.

Finlayson makes a broad selection of red and white wines so to give them the attention that each deserves I have split them into smaller ‘sub-flights’. Today it is the turn of the Chardonnays. There are two,     

The regular Chardonnay 

David Finlayson 2024 Chardonnay, Stellenbosch, South Africa ($17)

Crisp with aromas and flavors of green apples. Lively acidity on the palette. Texturous mouthfeel and good mouthfeel. Likely only partial malolactic fermentation 

And the ‘reserve’, so to speak

David Finlayson ‘Camino Africana’ 2022 Chardonnay, Shale Terraces’, Stellenbosch, South Africa ($34)

Shows its age gorgeously with a nose of ripe lemon and lime. Racy acid undertones. Weighty body and mouth textures. A ‘food wine’ in the most respectful sense of the term. I would love this with juicy roast chicken or leg of turkey.

Buy here.

Sample.