Coming from the Upper Hemel en Aarde Valley, which stretches inland from the coastal town of Hermanus, South Africa – an area first planted in 1976. A translucent pale straw colour in the glass. The perfume is a mix of modern and ‘old school’, with peach, pear, lemon and grapefruit fruit flavours overlaid with notes of cinnamon, fruit bread, apple danish pastry and oatmeal. Dry and well-balanced in the palate, with a mix of power, weight and acidic drive. The juicy fruit sits somewhere between tart and ripe and there is an unctuousness to the texture that swaddles it. Oak is evident (and suits the style), with a touch of chalky minerality hinting at a lees influence. Finishing bright and long. 94pts
Newton Johnson ‘Family Vineyards’ Chardonnay 2019
