Capensis, Chardonnay, Western Cape, South Africa, 2013

This is Jackson Family Estate's first foray into South Africa – and what a debut by winemaker Graham Weerts and vineyard manager Rosa Kruger who sourced the fruit from exceptional sites in Stellenbosch, Overberg and Robertson. The wine carries the 55% new French oak with ease to reveal a profoundly complex Chardonnay with heft, depth and well-judged acidity. Stone fruits, pear, herbs, lees and hay notes and long saline finish, make this a very complete and complex effort. A star in the making.

South Africa's renowned viticulturalist Rosa Kruger selected some of Western Cape's finest Chardonnay plots for this wine – its maiden vintage – where the purity of the orchard fruit is not masked by the toasty new oak which has softened with time. It is creamy and round, with just enough acidity to balance.