Restless River - Ava Marie Chardonnay 2020

Decanter Magazine

Bold nose of ripe pear fruit and white flowers. Rich, with perky acidity and a distinct marzipan note, this is a serious wine. Sherbet lemon, peach tea and a smidge of vanilla complete the picture on the palate. A lovely lime acidity closes this out in style. Restless River likes to hold back its wines in bottle pre-release to round them off, including the whites, so this Chardonnay from 2020 is only seeing the light of day in November 2022.

Tim Atkin

Gismondi on Wine

Restless River is a small, but mighty, family-owned winery in the cool Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. Hundreds of years ago, the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley was known as Attacquas Kloof. In 1760 the elder, Wessel Wessels arrived with his family and set up home. Fast forward a few hundred years, when husband and wife Craig and Anne Wessels started planting part of the farm in 2004, launching the Restless River label in 2012 to continual critical acclaim. The farm has some of the oldest Cabernet sauvignon and Chardonnay in the Hemel-en-Aarde, with vines first planted in 1999. This Chardonnay bears the name of its single 2.06 hectare vineyard, named after their daughter. The slopes are south and east facing, with shallow top soils with iron-rich rocks and sandy gravels over decomposed granite clays. This was whole bunch pressed, settled overnight, and then native fermented into various sized French barrels (5% new) as well as two terracotta amphora, from Tuscany. Post ferment, this rested on lees for 11 months prior to moving to stainless for a 3 month tightening stint prior to bottling. Once in bottle, this rested for 18 months prior to release. Fragrant lemon, bright green apple, wild pear glides along the textural palate, bright with easy acidity, studded with crushed rocks, lined with wild lees, and imbued with mineral salts. The finish hums on and on and on. Drinking now, and with ample time ahead. 10901 bottles produced. (Treve Ring).