SOUMAH Upper Ngumby Chardonnay 2024

One of my favourite Chardonnay descriptors has long been warm, stretched Blu-Tack—strange to some but a core memory from old school days. This quality I often associate with some of my most cherished sites in Burgundy. Here, it arrives in abundance, offering a nostalgic and unmistakable expression of the wine’s mineral core. Aromas of white seashells, chalk dust, and lemon pith weave through, joined by cider apples and white flowers. The palate extends along long, vivid lines of acidity, with fleeting moments of green melon and almond milk at its centre. Oak contributes gentle creaminess and softened edges, wrapping everything neatly together. This is a magnified portrait of the Upper Ngumby site, and a fascinating wine to both taste and ponder. It calls for whiting fillets, pan-fried with lemon, alongside a cool cucumber salad. Drink now or will cellar further for another 4-5 years.