A.A. Badenhorst, The Curator 2022: A Remarkable South African White Wine for $14

I am often asked if it is worth paying a lot for a bottle of wine, and especially if it is necessary. Somewhat jokingly, I reply that you don’t have to take out a second mortgage to afford a good bottle. Even a well-informed connoisseur can quite find his happiness with a product sold between 18 and 40 dollars at the SAQ. Beyond 40 dollars, the amount spent is not always proportional to the pleasure felt; below 18 dollars, we often find ourselves with more commercial wines, that is to say, too manipulated and sometimes watered down. That’s what makes this wine of the week all the more remarkable.

At $14 and a little, it’s hard to ask for better than this very good South African white, produced in the Swartland region by Adi Badenhorst, a talented and likeable winemaker. A proven blend of Chenin Blanc, Viognier and Chardonnay. The chenin brings nerve and a fresh acidity, the viognier, roundness and alluring perfumes of flowers and tropical fruits, and the chardonnay, finally, of the body and the behavior. A simple pleasure with a smoked salmon pizza. Technically impeccable, tasty and authentic.

Health ! Good holidays !