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Buy any 12 bottles and save 10% (excludes sale). Free UK delivery on orders over £175. Tel : 02922 337454
Buy any 12 bottles and save 10% (excludes sale). Free UK delivery on orders over £175. Tel : 02922 337454
2023 Hemel Chardonnay, Restless River Wine Republic - Enoteca and Wine Merchant

2023 Hemel Chardonnay, Restless River

Hemel-en-Aarde, Walker Bay, Western Cape, South Africa

Pure, taut and quietly intense, this Hemel Chardonnay opens with lemon zest, green apple and white peach, layered with notes of struck flint, crushed shell and a subtle hint of hazelnut. The palate is precise and linear, driven by bright acidity and a firm mineral core, with citrus and stone fruit held in check by gentle texture rather than overt richness. There’s a salty, coastal energy running through the wine, finishing long, focused and beautifully dry.

For when: you want Chardonnay with tension, not softness.
Pairs with: grilled shellfish, roast chicken, creamy fish dishes, or simply a quiet glass and concentration.
If this wine were… standing barefoot on cold sand with the wind in your face, bracing, alive, and unforgettable.

Restless River is a small, fiercely independent estate in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, founded by Craig and Anne Wessels with a clear commitment to site expression and minimal intervention. Set just a few kilometres from the Atlantic, the vineyards sit on ancient, iron-rich soils and benefit from strong maritime influence, shaping wines of freshness, structure and longevity. The Hemel Chardonnay is farmed with obsessive care and made with restraint in the cellar, allowing the vineyard’s natural intensity and mineral character to lead. It is a benchmark expression of modern South African Chardonnay, uncompromising, precise, and deeply rooted in place.

Whats in the bottle
100% Chardonnay

£31.00 - £31.00
£31.00
£31.00 - £31.00
£31.00
Availability:
In stock

Beginning as a hobby for self-taught winemaker, Craig Wessels, Restless River is now a world-renowned producer of cool climate Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay described by Neal Martin as having “real Burgundian allure”. In 2004, Craig and his wife Anne, bought a run-down sheep farm in the Upper Hemelen-Aarde Valley, with a view to raise their family away from the city. By chance, the farm was also home to the area’s oldest Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon vines, planted in 1998. Craig began making wine in a small, converted garage on the estate. In 2012 the Restless River wines were officially launched and have continued to impress ever since.

The Chardonnay grapes were harvested by hand and gently whole bunch pressed using an old Vaslin basket press. The juice was managed oxidatively and left to settle with no additives or cooling. Spontaneous fermentation took place in 500L French oak barrels and the wine was left to mature for 11 months in larger Burgundy barrels (5% new). The three vineyards were vinified separately, with attention given to pairing coopers and specific barrels for each vineyard. The wine was left to settle in stainless steel tanks for three months prior to bottling, followed by nine months ageing in bottle prior to release.