2013 Nine Yards Chardonnay

The 2013 Nine Yards Chardonnay was cropped February 8- March 6 and was matured sur lie for 13 months with regular barrel rolling. The nose is very refined with scents of almond, nutmeg, a touch of melted butter and buttercup that are all well-defined and deftly subsume the oak. The palate is well-balanced with crisp acidity: touches of orange zest, pear and peach on the entry, before that acidity begins to cut in and leave with a tense, nervous finish. Superb. ||Gary Jordan was away when I visited the estate for a tasting in the bistro of their extremely popular restaurant (Hedonist Gazette coming soon.) Gary has done an immense amount promoting not only his own estate, but also Stellenbosch and South Africa. There is a commercial leaning to his wines, which I would not place right at the top of the country's hierarchy at the moment, though the top labels are among its finest. Like last year, I find the entry-level wines more inconsistent, especially when they veer away from Chardonnay, but they are extremely well-priced and widely available. eRobertParker.com.October, 2014