Cap Maritime, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley (Walker Bay, South Africa) Chardonnay 2018

 Every bit as good as the exceptional Pinot from Cap Maritime in the same 2018 vintage, this is priced at the same level and is worth every penny, or more.  Most wine lovers who admire wines from South Africa think of Chenin Blanc as the country’s white flagship variety, which is reasonable enough, but in recent years Chardonnay has emerged as a variety that can challenge the world’s best, and surpass the quality achieved almost anywhere at lower price points in the mid- and upper-teens.  This wine shows the quality that can be achieved at the high end, and both the quality and character of this will – if tasted blind – make you think of Meursault.  Fermented in a combination of 60% new French oak and 40% Nomblot concrete eggs, it shows a nuttiness from the oak but also a persistent purity and freshness from the unoaked portion.  Impressively rich without ever seeming heavy, the wine displays a broad array of scents and flavors including golden apples, citrus fruits and a tropical tinge as well.  The opulent fruitiness is accentuated by creamy palate feel, and though this made me wonder if the wine might finish a bit flabby, that isn’t the case at all, as very well integrated acidity makes it snap to attention with a clearly focused finish.  I’d guess this will gain even more complexity during the next two or three years, but it is phenomenally delicious right now.