Glen Carlou, Quartz Stone Chardonnay, Paarl, 2010

You might think Paarl would be too warm for Chardonnay, but not after you’ve tasted this wine by winemaker Arco Laarman. The vines are grown on decomposed granite quartz which is sheltered from the sun on north facing slopes. The resultant wine then gets 100% new oak treatment in 400-litre barrels and undergoes some battonage to great effect. The oak and the fruit are wonderfully integrated creating a still youthful wine of power and finesse with melon and pear fruit, quince, apricot, spice, butter and a mealy savoury quality. Exceptionally long. Tasted in South Africa in September 2015