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Long-term Pre-arrival Items
Long Term Pre-arrival Definition: Ordering wine directly through us from our supplier partners in Europe in advance of the item’s physical arrival in the US.
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SKU 965154
$45.60/bottle
Out of stock
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Intense, concentrated, saline, mineral on the palate. Super texture, energy and drive. Pale in colour, oak plays very much a supporting role. Citrus and crisp green apple notes, vibrant acidity and precision evident on the palate. In a blind-tasting, this could easily stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Chablis Grand Cru. If you love cooler-climate Chardonnay, this is for you. Not the showiest wine but one that will age effortlessly for five or more years.
Of all the white wine grape varietals, surely the one that has spread the furthest and is most widely appreciated is Chardonnay. This green-skinned grape is now grown all over the Old and New Worlds, from New Zealand to the Americas, from England to Chile, and is one of the first varietals people think of when considering white wine grapes. Perhaps this is because of its huge popularity, which reached a peak in the 1990s, thanks to new technologies combining with traditional methods to bring the very best features out of the Chardonnay grape and allow its unique qualities to shine through. Most fine Chardonnay wines use a process known as malolactic fermentation, wherein the malic acids in the grape juice are converted to lactic acids, allowing a creamier, buttery nature to come forward in the wine. No grape varietal is better suited to this process than Chardonnay, which manages to balance these silky, creamy notes with fresh white fruit flavors beautifully.
Country
South Africa
Situated on the very tip of the African continent, South Africa has proved itself over three centuries to be an ideal location for producing a wide range of wines. Benefiting from something not dissimilar to a Mediterranean climate, with long, hot summers complemented by both Atlantic and Indian Ocean winds, the grapes which grow on the valleys, mountainsides and plains of this fascinating country can ripen to their fullest capacity, producing wines packed full of fruity flavors and an array of interesting and enticing aromas. As a former colony, South Africa has long since been home to a range of different nationalities, who each brought something of their wine culture with them. As such, many European grape varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Riesling and others have been given time to flourish in South Africa, allowing the country to develop a diverse group of wine types which are proving increasingly popular around the world.
Region
Overberg
Appellation
Walker Bay
DC95pts
Decanter
Intense, concentrated, saline, mineral on the palate. Super texture, energy and drive. Pale in colour, oak plays very much a supporting role. Citrus and crisp green apple notes, vibrant acidity and precision evident on the palate. In a blind-tasting, this could easily stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Chablis Grand Cru. If you love cooler-climate Chardonnay, this is for you. Not the showiest wine but one that will age effortlessly for five or more years.
JS94pts
James Suckling
This greets you on the nose with wet stones, thyme, lemons and white peaches. Some blanched almonds. Medium-bodied and compact, with beautiful weight and brightness, sharp in acidity, and a long, restrained and mineral finish. Drink or hold.
WA92pts
Wine Advocate
The 2021 Ave Marie Chardonnay is fresh, balanced and complex with citrus and yellow apple notes while displaying a softer style with less perceptive oak on the nose than the previous vintage. Medium-bodied, the palate is complex, spicy and fresh before compressing slightly, showing a rather tight frame that will need an additional year in the battle to come around. It concludes with a fresh, crisp finish that will be better next year. A little over 8,000 bottles were produced after the wine rested in 10% new Burgundian oak barrels for 12 months, followed by 18 months in the bottle before release. Give it time; your patience will be rewarded.
VM91pts
Vinous Media
The 2021 Ava Marie is whole bunch pressed and matured partially in amphorae for 12 months. It takes a little while to open, revealing candle wax, pressed white flowers and orange pith notes with aeration. The palate is slightly granular on the entry, just a faint underlying oatmeal note, with fine tension and a little chalkiness towards the finish. Lots going on here. An absorbing Chardonnay.
