Produced by partner Richard Kershaw in South Africa, and aged for 16 months in a blend of new French oak and stainless steel. This Chardonnay is sourced from a 35-year-old plot comprising just seven rows of vines—an overlooked vineyard Kershaw discovered near the ocean, about 2.5 hours from Cape Town, with ancient limestone soils. Kershaw replanted the site to Chardonnay, and the result is extraordinary. There’s a beautifully Chablis-like minerality that lifts from the glass, nuanced by rich layers of citrus fruit, citrus oil, flinty minerality, and crushed almonds. The mid-palate offers wonderful density, with citrus zest, orange oil, and white flowers underscored by beautifully integrated toasty oak. Salty-chalky mineral tension carries through the finish, which is impressively long and resonant. David Bradbury, Wine Director at Rhinory, joked about tasting the best Chardonnay of your life in Texas while guests wandered by to get close to Blake the Rhino—otherworldly, just like the wine itself. A truly great wine from this remarkable collective.