Ataraxia
Chardonnay 2016
South African Wines
About the SessionThe South African session brings together a selection of the Cape’s most historic and celebrated wines, spanning decades of winemaking heritage. From Kanonkop, Meerlust and Rustenberg to Klein Constantia and Thelema, the collection showcases landmark Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux-style blends and the iconic Vin de Constance, offering collectors a rare opportunity to explore some of South Africa’s most enduring and influential wines across multiple vintages.
LOT 7
Ataraxia
Chardonnay 2016
About this Item
Provenance
Single-Owner Private Collection
Critics Ratings
"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." - Neal Martin, Vinous, 94/100 (Aug 2018)
"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." - Anthony Mueller, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 91+/100 (May 2021)
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