Description
Tokara Chardonnay 2025 is a Stellenbosch white that balances citrus brightness, barrel-aged texture, and a firmly dry finish. It sits between a richer, oak-shaped Chardonnay and a fresher, more linear style, using lees work and restrained malolactic fermentation to add breadth without dulling the wine’s energy. The result is a polished, versatile Chardonnay with clear fruit definition and a savory mineral edge.
The nose opens with yellow lemon peel, lime blossom, lightly toasted brioche, cinnamon, and vanilla. On the palate, fresh lime and roasted lemon lead into a chalky mineral note and a subtle touch of ginger. Eight months of barrel aging on the lees gives the wine a silky texture, while bright acidity keeps the palate focused and carries it through a clean, refreshing finish. It would pair especially well with apricot and almond chicken tagine, lemon and feta couscous, roast poultry, or creamy seafood dishes, while also working well as an aperitif.
Already expressive, this is a Chardonnay made for enjoyment now, though its acidity and balanced oak profile should allow it to develop well over the next few years.
The nose opens with yellow lemon peel, lime blossom, lightly toasted brioche, cinnamon, and vanilla. On the palate, fresh lime and roasted lemon lead into a chalky mineral note and a subtle touch of ginger. Eight months of barrel aging on the lees gives the wine a silky texture, while bright acidity keeps the palate focused and carries it through a clean, refreshing finish. It would pair especially well with apricot and almond chicken tagine, lemon and feta couscous, roast poultry, or creamy seafood dishes, while also working well as an aperitif.
Already expressive, this is a Chardonnay made for enjoyment now, though its acidity and balanced oak profile should allow it to develop well over the next few years.
In the cellar
The fruit was sourced from Tokara’s Stellenbosch estate and two long-standing grower vineyards in Stellenbosch. After destemming, crushing, and pressing, the juice settled overnight in stainless steel before being transferred to 228L French oak barrels, with a portion of the lees added back.
The wine fermented entirely in barrel and remained there for 8 months on the lees with regular stirring to build texture. Only a small portion underwent malolactic fermentation, preserving freshness while adding a subtle creamy note. The wine was tartrate stabilized, filtered, and bottled in October 2024.
Winemaker: Stuart Botha
The wine fermented entirely in barrel and remained there for 8 months on the lees with regular stirring to build texture. Only a small portion underwent malolactic fermentation, preserving freshness while adding a subtle creamy note. The wine was tartrate stabilized, filtered, and bottled in October 2024.
Winemaker: Stuart Botha
About the Winery
South African Tokara winery, on the R310 outside Stellenbosch, is nestled among vineyards and olive groves on the crest of the Helshoogte Pass with sweeping views across False Bay and all the way to Table Mountain. With elevations of between 350m and 550m, soil profiles are of weathered sandstone and decomposed granite - the combination lending structure, perfume and longevity to their wines.
