Wine of the week - Newton Johnson 2007 Chardonnay

I'm loving wines from the Hermanus/Hemel En Aarde Valley area lately, which is where this week's featured wine is produced. I've been nailing a lot of the Pinot Noir from the Newton Johnson farm but I recently stumbled across their 2007 Chardonnay. It's aged in Burgundy oak barrels, and smells like fruits stewing in vanilla and butter. In the mouth I found it to have more body than expected, with citrus flavours hanging around long after you've taken a sip. They come wafting in the same way you smell a beautiful women's perfume a few seconds after she has walked past. They are subtle but still worth a mention. 

I know winter is here but that doesn't mean we have to ONLY drink red wine. I like to match a wine like this with something spicy which provides the warmth. I had this with a phenomenal plate of chicken livers and chorizo at Wild Woods recently and it worked a treat. The creaminess of the livers matched the texture of the wine and the heat from the chilli was awesome with the citrus notes. It was pretty skoochie and if ever you're out there you would do well to order that. Trust me. If you're looking to knock something up at home a nice piece of grilled tuna with chilli and ginger could be good too. 

The wine goes for R115 and is available at most boutique stores. 

Cheers,

Jamie Who