La Brune The Valley Chardonnay 2025

RATINGS

James Suckling: 92 points

TASTING NOTES

100% Chardonnay 

Nico’s ‘The Valley’ Chardonnay is made with four Burgundian clones for a variety of textures and flavor profiles (CY95, 96, 277 and 548). Clones 95 and 548 are more known for their fruitier and rounder profiles which are ‘tamed’ by 96 and 277, two clones that tend to add more freshness and nervous energy. Nico has always had a soft spot for Chardonnay after spending a significant amount of time in Burgundy working with Bruno Lorenzon of Domaine Lorenzon in Mercurey. ‘The Valley’ Chardonnay is some of the finest value you can find for this variety in South Africa – or elsewhere for that matter.

This is a wine that showcases exceptional structure, flintiness, and a marked minerality. Made with precision, the grapes undergo a whole-bunch pressing, followed by limited settling to preserve their natural character. The wine ferments spontaneously, with the fermentation process partially completing in barrel — around 30% – the ferment is transferred to oak after the initial stages. Aged for 7 months, this vintage spent 1.5 months less in barrel compared to 2023, giving it a slightly fresher, more vibrant profile. The fermentation undergoes 15% in 228 litre barrels, with the remainder aged in larger 500 litre barrels, and just 5% new oak, allowing the wine’s inherent qualities to shine through.

The result is a beautifully layered Chardonnay that balances richness with crisp, wet stone minerality, and green pineapple on the nose, with smooth, fresh citrus zest and a slight creamy, brioche, yet savoury finish. An elegant expression of the Elgin terroir.

TECHNICAL ANALYSIS