Delaire Graff Estate Banghoek Chardonnay 2024
£27.45
The wine
An elegant Chardonnay with nuances of vanilla, peaches and honeycomb complemented by a hint of minerality on the lingering finish. From the high Banghoek Valley, where the altitude keeps the acidity in place.
Banghoek is one of the coolest wards in Stellenbosch, high on the Helshoogte Pass where afternoon cloud spills over the mountains. Chardonnay grown there ripens slowly and holds acidity, and the wine is barrel fermented and aged on its lees in a restrained, Burgundian register rather than a tropical one.
The producer
Delaire Graff Estate
View all Delaire Graff Estate winesDelaire Graff Estate sits on the Helshoogte Pass above Stellenbosch, high on the ridge between the Banghoek and Dwarsrivier valleys with views across to the Simonsberg. Laurence Graff, the diamond dealer, bought it in 2003 and rebuilt it entirely.
Altitude is what distinguishes the site. Stellenbosch is South Africa's most celebrated wine district but much of it is warm valley floor; these vineyards sit high enough on the pass to catch cooler air and the afternoon cloud that spills over the mountains, which slows ripening and preserves acidity. Banghoek in particular is one of the coolest wards in the district.
The estate is as well known for its art collection, restaurants and lodge as for the wine, which has occasionally obscured how good the wine is. Cabernet Franc does especially well here, both as a rose and as the backbone of the Botmaskop blend, named for the peak above the property.
