Bouchard Finlayson Crocodile’s Lair Kaaimansgat Chardonnay 2024, Elandskloof, Overberg, South Africa

Crocodile’s Lair, or Kaaimansgat in Afrikaans, is the Chardonnay that Bouchard Finlayson has made for decades from a single high-altitude vineyard in the Elandskloof Valley, behind Villiersdorp in the Overberg, about 80 km from the winery in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. The vineyard sits at around 700 metres. Whole bunches are pressed slowly and gently, and the juice is fermented in barrels ranging from new to several years old. Depending on the vintage, some barrels are stopped from going through malolactic fermentation to keep the wine fresh. It is matured in barrel for around eight months before light filtration and bottling.

Bouchard Finlayson Crocodile’s Lair Chardonnay is refined and layered, with melon, nectarine, citrus blossom and zest on the nose and a hint of spice. The palate combines textured richness and well-integrated oak with vibrant acidity and a long, saline finish.

Serve with lobster, crab, roast chicken, pork, creamy pasta or mushroom bruschetta. Chill to 10–12°C. It is drinking well now and will keep for 5–7 years.

Bouchard Finlayson was founded in 1989 in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley near Hermanus, on South Africa’s southern Cape coast, as a partnership between Burgundian winemaker Paul Bouchard and South African winemaker Peter Finlayson. Their shared love of Pinot Noir shaped the estate, and its 25 hectares of vines were planted on Burgundian principles to suit the valley’s cool maritime climate. The Tollman family, owners of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection, bought the estate in 2000. The vineyards are surrounded by a 100-hectare conservancy protecting native fynbos. Today, under winemaker Chris Albrecht, Bouchard Finlayson is known for elegant Pinot Noir such as Galpin Peak, the Hannibal red blend, and fine Chardonnay.