Tasting Notes
The story
In Ataraxia's words:
"Hemel-en-Aarde is Afrikaans for “heaven and earth” and the claim is justified. Our estate sits on a particularly heavenly stretch of land beneath a lofty peak of the Babylon’s Tower mountain range. In addition to its unrelenting beauty, Ataraxia is home to some of the most spectacular terroirs South Africa has to offer.
In 2004, The Skyfields Farm was visioned into the Ataraxia wine label when husband and wife, Kevin and Hanli Grant and a few friends purchased this 47-hectare prime vineyard property.
More than a decade later, we are associated with crafting wines of incredible finesse, balance and depth; wines that proudly hold their own on the international wine stage."
The wine
The 2015 Ataraxia Chardonnay was very popular with customers (and me!). This vintage is equally good, if not better. When you smell the wine you expect to taste something old and very rich because of the complexity of aromas - white flowers, stone & citrus fruits, flinty minerality and a hint of biscuit. But on the palate the refreshing acidity and a silky texture prevent the wine being too heavy and rich. The wine manages to combine the complexity of flavours with the crisp acidity. The sharp citrus and almost unripe peach flavoiurs cut through a hint of creamy butteriness leading to a citrus finish with a hint of almond & marzipan. It's lovely.
Food Pairing
Like many Chardonnays this wine will work well with richer dishes such as foie gras, chicken, ham, pork or veal in creamy sauces, parmesan cheese, mushrooms and truffles. But it is light enough not to overpower lighter dishes such as fish, seafood and chicken
Producer's Notes
"In the most accurate and faithful way possible, our unapologetically wooded white wine mirrors the terroir in which our Chardonnay vines are grown. In other words, it is an expression of the low vigour, stony, clay-rich Bokkeveld Shale derived soils and the heavily maritime-influenced climate.
Made using uncomplicated (not simple) winemaking techniques, this is an athletic, chiseled and precise wine. It embraces the very adult tastes of salinity, brininess and minerality, all of which are the hallmarks of the great and classic white wines of the world."
Awards
17.5 points JancisRobinson.com Sep 2018 "Utterly engaging – combines vivid fruit with smoke, cereal, toast and oyster-shell minerality. Grown-up Chardonnay, and that smoky length is gorgeous. Lots of oak influence on the finish, but by no means overdone."
