NEWTON JOHNSON SOUTHEND CHARDONNAY 2019

Winery notes (2019 Vintage)
"Southend’s vineyards lie in the shadow of the Babylonstoring Mountains in the Upper Hemel en-Aarde Valley and is owned and farmed by our neighbours, the Pringle family. It is a notably cooler slope, a stone’s throw across the river from us, with less sun exposure and consequently slower ripening. It produces wines with sparkling clarity, high-toned fruit flavours, compact structure, and vibrant acidity. We preserve these features by fermenting in larger format casks that often ferment slowly into the winter and finish in the spring. This parcel takes a steely and light-footed point of difference from the other Chardonnay vineyards of our appellation.

A wine with energy and intensity. The high-toned, rapier-like lime fruit is buoyed with sharp ginger, white pepper and flint. Crushed stones and saltiness sustain the refreshing appeal. Good weight of flavour in the mid palate boosted with bright acidity and grippy texture."

92/100 Neal Martin, Vinous (2019 Vintage)
"The 2019 Chardonnay Newton Johnson Southend was picked by hand and matured for 11 months in mostly 500-litre puncheons and some Burgundy barriques. It has a very cohesive bouquet, walnut, hazelnut and light flinty aromas joining the citrus fruit. The palate is well balanced with tropical notes (passion fruit, blood orange, mandarin) on the entry. There is plenty of energy coiled up in this Chardonnay, and superb tension on the finish. Excellent."