Delheim Chardonnay Sur Lie 2019, Stellenbosch

If you are a fan of white Burgundy, then this Chardonnay from O’Briens is well worth trying out. It’s not exactly cheap but compares very favourably in price and quality with many Chardonnays from Burgundy or California.

€26.45 from O’Briens

Medium-bodied and textured with mouth-watering peach fruits, citrus peel, subtle hazelnuts from the oak-ageing, and a fine mineral streak. Lively and full of flavour, this would go nicely with most chicken and richer fish dishes. We drank ours with a traybake of chicken thighs with lemon, but I suspect it would be even better with chicken in a creamy mushroom sauce, or salmon with loads of butter.

Delheim is a family-owned winery based in Stellenbosch close to Cape Town. They supply O’Briens with a range of very well-made, keenly-priced wines, including two great Chenin Blancs and a Pinotage Rosé. The sur lie is whole bunch pressed and fermented in 500 and 225 hl. French oak barrels, 15% of them new. It is then aged on its lees for nine months. 13.5%abv.