Boekenhoutskloof Cap Maritime Coastal Chardonnay 2024

The Cap Maritime Coastal Chardonnay 2024 is a refreshing, elegant white wine with a light yellow color. The aroma opens with complex flinty notes, mandarin, lime, white blossoms, and lemon peel. On the palate, the wine offers a slender structure and a pure balance between ripe fruit and freshness, with flavors of pear, white peach, melon, and apple. Thanks to subtle oak aging and the omission of malolactic fermentation, the wine retains its lively freshness, and the mid-palate acquires subtle, spicy nuances. The clean, long finish leaves behind notes of minerality, lemongrass, ginger, and nutmeg.

This premium wine comes from the South African winery Boekenhoutskloof, led by Marc Kent and Head Winemaker Gottfried Mocke. The 'Coastal' range was created to offer youthful accessibility within the refined house style. The grapes are selected from the cool climate regions of Elgin, Overberg, and Walker Bay, classified as Cape South Coast origins. Here, the ocean breeze and specific soils provide the ideal basis for Chardonnay.

The hand-picked grapes are transported chilled to Franschhoek, where whole bunches are pressed immediately. After natural settling, spontaneous fermentation begins. The wine ages for twelve months in a combination of new French barriques (20%), older barriques (50%), and concrete vats (30%), supported by light bâtonnage for added texture and layering.