1685 Chardonnay
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2026
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted chicken, creamy seafood pasta, grilled salmon
✨ Technical Specifications
The Boschendal 1685 Chardonnay is a liquid tribute to the estate's founding year, carrying with it centuries of winemaking history in the Western Cape. Sourced from selected cool-climate vineyards across the Coastal Region, this wine benefits from diverse soil profiles and cooling maritime breezes that preserve natural acidity. In the cellar, the winemakers employ a meticulous combination of stainless steel tank fermentation and French oak barrel aging, with a portion of the wine undergoing weekly battonage (lees stirring). This dual approach coaxes out a beautiful tension between vibrant citrus, ripe tropical fruit, and a rich, creamy texture, embodying the classic, elegant style that has made Boschendal a cornerstone of South African viticulture.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1685 by Huguenot settler Jean le Long and developed by the De Villiers family, Boschendal is one of the oldest wine estates in South Africa. Anchored in the Groot Drakenstein Valley between Franschhoek and Stellenbosch, the estate's vineyards span granite, sandstone, and alluvial terraces sheltered by the Simonsberg and Drakenstein mountain ranges. This dramatic topographical setting yields a Mediterranean macroclimate defined by cool mountain breezes, dry summers, and generous winter rainfall, delivering vibrant natural acidity. Viticulture adheres to rigorous environmental stewardship as a WWF Conservation Champion and Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) practitioner. The winemaking philosophy emphasizes purity, site transparency, and textural balance across both stainless steel and French oak regimes. Boschendal is celebrated for its benchmark Cap Classique sparkling wines, including the Jean Le Long Prestige Cuvée, as well as exceptional still whites like the 1685 Chenin Blanc, Appellation Series Chardonnay, Suzanne white blend, and botrytised Vin D'Or Noble Late Harvest.
🍇 Grapes
Chardonnay
🍷 ABV
13.5-14%