Chamonix Estate White Reserve 2021
| Producer | Chamonix |
|---|---|
| Country | South Africa |
| Region | Franschhoek, Western Cape |
| Wine Type | White Wine |
| Body / Style | Aromatic |
| Grape Blend | Sauvignon Blanc & Semillon |
| Bottle Size (ml) | 750 |
| % Abv | 13.5 |
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Extra Info | Rich, citrus, textured white blend |
| Food Pairing Guide | This full, textured Bordeaux-style white is a superb match for seafood and white meat with a touch of richness. It’s excellent with seared scallops, grilled lobster or crayfish, or a whole roast sea bass with herbs and lemon. Its herbal, citrus freshness and waxy texture go well with roast chicken with thyme and garlic, guinea fowl, or pork tenderloin with a creamy mustard sauce. It’s also lovely with salmon en croûte, smoked trout pâté or a classic fish pie. Vegetarians could try asparagus risotto, a goat’s cheese and leek tart or a fig, walnut and blue cheese salad. Mild, soft cheeses such as Brie, young goat’s cheese or Comté are great partners too. Serve lightly chilled, around 10 to 12°C, so its layers can show. |
Chamonix Estate White Reserve is one of the Cape’s most celebrated white Bordeaux-style blends, and critics have long compared it favourably with the fine whites of Pessac-Léognan. It brings together Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon from Chamonix’s mountain vineyards high above the Franschhoek Valley, where cool breezes and stony, clay-rich soils give the fruit both intensity and freshness. Each variety is fermented and aged separately in French oak, resting on its lees to build texture before the final blend is made and the wine is given time in bottle to come together.
In the glass it is a pale straw colour, with fresh aromas of grapefruit, white peach, figs and thyme, a hint of exotic spice and a touch of freshly cut grass. The palate is full and round, with rich fruit, silky, waxy layers and a subtle nutty note from the barrel, all lifted by bracing acidity and a gentle minerality. The finish is long and refined. It’s a serious white to enjoy with seafood, roast chicken or a special first course, and it will reward a few more years in the bottle.
