2017 Ava Marie Chardonnay
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Tasting notes
Like all of Restless River’s wines, this is defined by its fabulous multi-layered texture. The wine starts with flinty mineral, lemon peel aromas, followed by such precise definition on the palate, no battonage just natural concentration with beautiful mandarin, mango, lime cordial flavours contrasted with a crisp taut mineral finish. Amazing length on this wine.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2017 Chardonnay Ava Marie has a fragrant bouquet with touches of lemon rind, peach skin and an oily scent that is quite potent and attractive. The palate is vibrant on the entry with a tang of orange rind and marmalade, very intense with touches of mint and sage. It fans out nicely on the finish - an excellent Chardonnay that should drink well over the next decade and more.
Light, fresh nose promising some delicacy – and there's a heck of a lot of acidity on the palate! I think this might worry a Burgundian, but perhaps it comes as a blessed relief in South Africa. It certainly demonstrates how cool this site must be. I'd wait for that acidity to mellow a bit. (JR)
The 2017 Ava Marie Chardonnay, which is partly aged in amphora, has a very seductive bouquet of wild honey, lemon curd and hints of white chocolate unfurling in the glass. The palate is well balanced with a slightly chalky entry, although it does seems to clam up toward the finish at the moment. Give this two or three years to open up.