From selected sites, which express the distinctive citrus purity and green apple freshness of Chardonnay grown on the weathered sandstone soils. Waxy lemon and energising lemon verbena open the bouquet with a voluminous undercurrent of gingerbread and a savoury, bready depth; tailored in gentle mossy stone and flinty coolness. The mousse is a balm; creamy and silky, carrying flavours of ripe pear and curl of baobab spice. Clean and composed with 2022’s crystalline acidity and ozonic purity, it’s precise, textural and assuredly dry.

The 2022 growing season began with an icy winter, the mountains around the vines capped in snow, giving a restorative dormancy and generous cold units. An early, even budbreak in spring was followed by slow, uniform ripening towards summer, and an even set of berries. The diurnal swing on the mountain slopes brought cold nights through the growing season, preserving fine, stable acids and a keen balance with a good malic to tartaric acid ratio. Harvest began around the second week of January.

The Chardonnay comes from Twee Jonge Gezellen’s finest blocks and is harvested at night. Healthy whole bunches are brought into the cellar in the early hours of the morning and gently pressed. The wine is made in small batches in a low-interventionist style, fermented in foudre and tank, then bottle-fermented in the traditional method. It matures for 24 months on the lees in the historic underground cellar before disgorgement. A vintage-only Cap Classique, it embodies the spirit of Krone and promises further complexity with age.

Tasting Notes: Citrus purity and green apple freshness open the glass, the signature of Chardonnay grown on weathered sandstone soils. Waxy lemon and energising lemon verbena lead the bouquet, with a voluminous undercurrent of gingerbread and a savoury, bready depth, all tailored in gentle mossy stone and flinty coolness. The palate is carried by a mousse that is creamy and silky, with flavours of ripe pear and a curl of baobab spice. The crystalline acidity of the vintage and an ozonic purity keep everything clean and composed, finishing precise, textural and assuredly dry.

Food Pairing: This is a Blanc de Blancs built for the table as much as the aperitif hour. Fresh oysters with a squeeze of lemon, sashimi and crayfish or langoustine are natural matches for its lemon verbena freshness and ozonic purity, while the creamy mousse and bready depth stand up to buttery pan-seared scallops, crispy calamari and golden fried chicken. Roast chicken with lemon and thyme, soft goat’s cheese, creamy Brie and aged Gruyère all pick up the gingerbread and savoury notes, and a shaving of Parmesan is a simple, brilliant partner. Serve well chilled.

ANALYSIS: ALC 12.22% | TA 5.38g/L | pH 3.29 | RS 4.46g/L