Willem Kurt Chardonnay 2024

Nougat, smoky bacon fat and clotted cream sit around a lovely cut of citrus and stone-fruit drive – white peach, Meyer lemon, white-nectarine flesh and cooked apple. There’s an engaging dichotomy of freshness and power, which carries nicely to the palate: nougat, fine cedar, subtle smoke and ginger are quickly chased down by notes mirroring the nose in white peach, nectarine and baked apple, with that clotted-cream note adding leesy appeal. The finish features a tight lemony tang and a good dose of citrus-preserve bitterness, with acidity surging to draw out the length. There’s an excellent mix of lees and oak-derived savouriness here, counterbalanced by assertive, precise fruit drive. Controlled power. A strong release.