Description
A unique and innovative Chardonnay, the 2021 The Sandman is crafted using an unconventional method that results in a wine with only 11% alcohol. After fermentation, the wine is aged in a 500-litre Terracotta Amphora, with the added influence of dried grape stalks and a layer of virgin olive oil for two months. This method imparts a vibrant colour and complexity to the wine. The nose is fresh with bright lemon and lime, creating a zesty, lively profile. On the palate, it’s surprisingly clean and complex for a natural wine, with a creamy texture and a finish that invites another sip.
Producer Profile
Lokaia was born from the overwhelming sense that there was
more to explore in the Franschhoek Valley. While it’s no secret that Semillon,
Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc are at the forefront of the region’s wine
identity, their bottled form still has room for growth and refinement. The
ultimate goal is to extract as much personality and definition from the grapes
as possible, while still maintaining each variety’s purity, brightness and
focus.
Lokaia’s intrepid founders, Clayton Reabow and Craig
McNaught, are also the winemakers behind this visionary Franschhoek-based
label. These guys have decades of wine experience between them and collaborated
on a plethora of other projects before diving in to their own brand in 2020. It
was just one of those things that was always going to happen.
Clayton has been behind the wheel of Franschhoek’s
Chardonnay Mecca – Moreson, for fourteen years and counting. Currently at the
peak of his powers, he is still the only individual to have won both the
Diner’s Club Young Winemaker of the Year and Winemaker
of the Year awards. While simultaneously running a bourgeoning wine
consultancy, Clayton continues to bottle some of South Africa’s most
critically-acclaimed wines.
Craig, is the second-generation winemaker and co-owner of
Stony Brook Vineyards in Franschhoek’s Bo-Hoek region. His focus for many years
has been on producing traditional, old-world influenced wines and Lokaia
affords him the opportunity to delve in to the postmodern.
So what happens when you merge these two
personas together and let their imaginations run wild? The answer: a winemaking
philosophy that captures their common passion in sublime liquid form.
Tasting Notes
JancisRobinson.com 17.5/20
[Jancis Robinson, 01/01/2023]
Greg Sherwood 93
The colour of this wine defies the several weeks of skin contact, showing vibrant greens and yellows in the glass. Fresh lemon and lime form the crux of the aromatics, with endless brightness and life on the nose. The palate is endlessly complex and remarkably clean for a natural wine, whose texture in the finish begs another taste. [Greg Sherwood, 01/01/2023]
