Description
Platter Chardonnay of the year 2020. The 2017 Ava Marie Chardonnay, which is partly aged in amphora, has a very seductive bouquet of wild honey, lemon curd and hints of white chocolate unfurling in the glass. The palate is well balanced with a slightly chalky entry, although it does seems to open up with time in the glass. Previous vintages were described as the Coche-Dury of South Africa… this wine ranks as one of the best produced in the country!
96/100 Greg Sherwood MW
5 Stars Platters Guide 2020
Producer Information: Restless River
Restless River wines are hand crafted by the Wessels family on their farm in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, next door to the coastal village of Hermanus in the Western Cape, South Africa. The farm is owned and run by Craig and Anne, winemaker and manager respectively.
With vines planted in 1998, Restless River Vineyards has some of the oldest Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. The soils are extremely diverse, resulting in each small block being unique. The Valley is well renowned for its cooler climate. The farm is only 5km from the Atlantic Ocean, and with the vineyards at 870ft, the temperature is a further couple of degrees cooler.
About 1000 cases of each variety are produced every year. This approach results in special, elegant, somewhat rebellious wines that have their own distinctive personality and character shaped each year by that particular growing season.
