# Oscar Browne Chardonnay (2020)

- **Producer:** Shannon Vineyards
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Chardonnay
- **Region:** Western Cape, South Africa
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.0%
- **Average price:** €25
- **Contains sulphites:** No
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** white pepper, orange, red cherry, citrus, white peach, vanilla, musk, butter, struck-match reduction, oatmeal, riverstone, salted lemons, dried pineapple, smoked almonds, oyster shells, flint

## About this wine

The Shannon Oscar Browne Chardonnay 2020 is a 100% Chardonnay from the Elgin Valley, South Africa. It is the inaugural release from a dedicated 0.8-hectare block planted with a blend of clones CY 95, CY 76, and CY 548. Shannon Vineyards, established in the early 2000s, focuses on expressing terroir through minimal intervention winemaking, with the winery's name a nod to the owners' Irish heritage. The Elgin Valley's high altitude, cool climate, and rainfall contribute to the wine's distinctive character.

## Interesting facts

- Maiden vintage from a dedicated 0.8-hectare Chardonnay block.
- Uses a blend of three specific Chardonnay clones (CY 95, CY 76, CY 548).
- Each clone is vinified and matured separately before blending.
- The winery name honors the owners' Irish ancestors.

## Food pairing

The wine's vibrant acidity cuts through the richness of creamy sauces and fattier proteins, while its complexity complements dishes with layered flavors. Citrus and herbal notes in the wine can echo or contrast with similar elements in the food, creating a harmonious dining experience.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process for the Shannon Oscar Browne Chardonnay 2020 begins with chilling whole Chardonnay bunches overnight before hand-sorting. The settled juice undergoes natural fermentation by indigenous yeasts in French oak barrels, with 100% malolactic fermentation also occurring in barrel. Each clone is vinified and matured separately for approximately 11 months in 228-litre barrels, with 23% new oak from three Burgundian cooperages, before blending.