Like all wine, Chardonnay has been subject to the changing winds of fashion over the years. Chardonnay-mania struck in the eighties when the coolest stuff to be seen sipping in a bar was a glass or two of the white wine, preferably with a mobile phone the size of a brick glued to your ear. Then we saw a backlash against the grape variety, with the so-called ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) generation falling instead for the charms of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio. The wooded, syrupy styles of Chardonnay that were once so popular were given the cold shoulder.

However, the tide has been turning in recent years, as fresh and elegant styles emerge from regions such as Robertson, Elgin and Durbanville. Robertson in particular is emerging as possibly South Africa’s most promising Chardonnay area, producing wines that owe more in style to Burgundy in France than Barossa in Australia. The region has a lot going for it, including cooling south-easterly winds and limestone-rich soil, which is great for Chardonnay, adding a minerally taste and depth of flavour. I spent a day travelling, tasting and meeting winemakers in the “valley of vines and roses” and it helped convince me that it’s time we brought Chardonnay in from the cold!

The rustic feel of Robertson, a far cry from the manicured lawns of Stellenbosch, and the fact that the majority of wine farms are family-owned, gives the area a friendly feel. Little seems to have changed over the decades, and if you ignore the modern equipment you can almost see the first pioneering farmers trotting around the vineyards on their horses, working out which vines to plant where.

Producers such as Weltevrede, Springfield, De Wetshof, Rietvallei, Arendsig and Bonnievale are making Chardonnay one of their signature wines, putting a lot of effort into discovering how their different vineyards produce different styles.

This diversity is one of the region’s best assets, according to Philip Jonker, winemaker at Weltevrede. ‘We have many different sites, all with different soils,’ he explains. ‘We have vines that are over 80 years old here at Weltevrede, which were planted by my grandfather. This diversity, the extreme hot days and cold nights and our ancient soil makes for very good Chardonnay.’

Here’s my top 10:

Arendsig Wild Yeast Chardonnay 2009
There is certainly a wild, left-field nature to this characterful wine. Notes of lemon and a yeasty character.

Bonnievale Chardonnay 2010
Refreshing, balanced, elegant and well-rounded. There are hints of buttery smoothness, tropical fruit and citrus.

Springfield Wild Yeast Chardonnay 2008
Aromas of rising dough, pineapple and pear – an unusual wine.

Springfield Méthode Ancienne Chardonnay 2006
A very intense nose, buttery, lots of grapefruity concentration. Smooth, creamy and made to last. 

Weltevrede The Ring Blanc de Blancs 2010 
A bubbly made from 100% Chardonnay, this is a lovely and straightforward fizz with mineral, elegant lemon rind and grapefruit notes and a long-lasting finish.

Weltevrede Place of Rocks Chardonnay 2008
This has an unusual but yummy savoury note, with notes of wild herbs and spice. Soft and mellow with well-integrated oak.

Weltevrede Rusted Soil Chardonnay 2007
Yummy character of butter and stewed apples, quite a weighty wine but still fresh and zingy.

Weltevrede Poet’s Prayer Chardonnay 2006
Every year a unique expression of this special wine is made. A gorgeous perfumed nose of apple blossom leads to a concentration of apples, spice and white stone fruit. A long finish.

De Wetshof Finesse Chardonnay 2009
Slightly smoky and flinty aroma. A very characterful and interesting wine, full of minerality, lime and pear notes and fresh acidity. Complex and well-balanced.

De Wetshof Bon Vallon Chardonnay 2009
This unwooded Chardonnay has lovely refreshing notes of green apple, citrus and peach.

By Claire Hu

Inspired to buy a bottle of Chardonnay? Buy it online at the Eat Out Wine Shop.