2016 Ataraxia Chardonnay
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Tasting notes
Beginning with an unmistakably Chardonnay nose of yellow apple, sweet lemon, hints of popcorn kernel, baking spices and juicy pear, the 2016 Chardonnay offers up elements of citrus blossom with cinnamon, nutmeg and burnt caramel. Medium-bodied, the wine shows a firm oak line through the mid-palate and an energetic acidity, a creamy mouthfeel with flavors of pastry cream and sweet citrus, before it ends with a long and delightful finish. This begins to act slightly Burgundian-esque but reveals the sense of the New World with its ripe fruit freshness and crisp juicy edge. It's delightful and I look forward to tasting this again in seven years. The wine comes in at 13% alcohol.
Critic scores
Average Score
Neal Martin
Anthony Mueller, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 2016 Chardonnay, which did not go through malolactic, was aged 20% in new French oak and the rest in second-fill. It has a well-defined bouquet of honeysuckle, crushed stone and a hint of almond - very Burgundy-like in style and nicely focused. The palate is very well balanced; the acidity is quite pointed at first, but this coalesces superbly on the midpalate. The oak is supremely well integrated, delivering real tension, and a slight Meursault-like nuttiness surfaces toward the finish. This has long been one of the Cape’s finest Chardonnays and the 2016 is one of the best vintages I have tasted.