Restless River 'Ava Marie' Chardonnay Hemel-en-Aarde Valley 2020

Description

When Craig Wessels isn't working for his animation and design agency or directing films, he and his wife Anne can be found making Restless River wines on their tiny farm in Hemel-en-Arde, located near the fishing village of Hermanus. They bought the only plot of land they could afford and have slowly transformed it into a 5-star rated winery in Platter's guide. Armed with the coolest climate on the cape, self-taught confidence, tattoos, biker t-shirts, a couple of amphoras from Tuscany and a restless drive to experiment and learn, the Wessels family are producing come of South Africa's most exciting wines. They farm as naturally as possible, and believe the grapes develop depth and complexity through struggle. As a result, yields are low, taking off the few tons that the weather, birds, baboons and Kwezi (the grape-loving dog) kindly leave behind. Yet the wine produced is spectacular.

The 2020 Chardonnay Ava Marie is whole bunch pressed, the juice oxidized and settled, followed by a spontaneous barrel ferment with 10 to 12 months sur lie. Lucid green/gold in hue in the glass. This has an attractive bouquet with a very subtle reduction, the 10% new oak discrete in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with a crisp line of acidity, quite taut and linear, hints of orange rind and plenty of salinity on the finish. Excellent. 92pts. Vinous