A ripe, lush style, with honeycomb, white ginger, warm brioche and creamed yellow apple and pineapple flavors gliding through. A light verbena thread keeps this fresh enough, but this is squarely on the showy, crowd-pleasing side of things.

There’s a balanced richness to this wine, with lovely notes of wood-grilled apple, toasted hazelnut, freshly baked apple pie and orange creamsicle that are cut by ample acidity. The medium-weight mouthfeel is smooth but not flabby, with lingering baking spice and toasted brioche notes on the close.

I reviewed the maiden release of the white Western Cape Chardonnay owned by the Jackson Family in my South Africa report in 2015. The sophomore 2014 Chardonnay follows on its heels. It has a winning bouquet, maybe a little obvious but very pleasurable nonetheless, laden with subtle tropical tones, pear and (like the 2013) a touch of brioche. The oak is certainly well integrated here. The palate is not fat, but there is the weight and presence in the mouth that you seek in a Chardonnay. It maintains lovely balance, the acidity finely tuned with nectarine, paw paw and citrus lemon towards the finish. It is a strong follow-up to their debut, even if as I mentioned previously, it does not offer the minerality you might seek from a top Chardonnay, but you will be enjoying this too much to care for that. The only caveat? Well, there's a surfeit of damn fine South African Chardonnay at cheaper prices out there.

Capensis began its short life in 2012 and the 2013 vintage, released from a variety of extreme sites from across the Western Cape, was the inaugural release. In 2014 Barbara Banke (Jackson Family Wines) and Antony Beck (Graham Beck Wines), jointly purchased the Fijnbosch, Stellenbosch property which now makes up just over half of the production of Capensis. At 1720 feet elevation and steep slopes it fits the Jackson vineyard mould. The rest of the grapes come from Overberg and the Robertson region. Winemaker Graham Weerts, who comes from Cape Town, shuffles between Stonestreet and several JFW properties. At US $80 the price suggests great things and I’m happy to report this wine is headed in that direction. The nose is a seductive mix of lees and honey with ripe tropical fruit but all within itself. The oak treatment is less or better or both in 2014 allowing the minerality and stony undercurrent to show through. The juicy fruit is framed with fine acidity and the creamy chalky textures mute the apple peach notes in a Burgundian sort of way. Just over half the wine is fermented in new French the rest in stainless steel. A nice improvement over the previous year. Crab, halibut or chicken would all work here.

There's a forward lush, toasty character to this wine, which opens with smoky, oaky notes alongside fruity tones of pink apple and rich melon. The round, broad palate offers more of the same, with flavors of creamed pear and buttery baked apple that are balanced by ample acidity, lending freshness to the close.

The maiden 2013 Capensis Chardonnay has some serious star players behind it: proprietors Barbara Banke (Jackson Family Estate) and Antony Beck (Graham Beck Wines), vineyard manager Rosa Kruger and winemaker Graham Weerts. The philosophy behind it is straightforward (in principal): source fruit from exceptional vineyard sites, which this year comes from the Fijnbosch Vineyard in Stellenbosch, Kaaimansgat in Overberg and E. Bruwer in Robertson. Around 55% of the crop is matured in new French barrels for 12 months. It has an attractive nose with subtle tropical aromas, a touch of white peach and shaved almond that attains more delineation as it opens in the glass (I allowed mine an hour to aerate). The palate displays impressive weight whilst maintaining good balance, notes of Cornice pear, nectarine and a light touch of peach, then erring towards brioche with time. There is just a touch of orange peel enlivening the finish. It marks a decent debut, as it ought to given the price and the names behind it. What I would say is that it does not have the mineralité, the nervosité of a top class Chardonnay, and I opened a couple of my favorite South African examples to compare. That's not to say subsequent vintages will find that. What this is, is a delicious, well crafted Chardonnay that you could cellar for a decade, though I have no qualms in drinking it over the next year or two.

A super premium Chardonnay from Western Cape? Just another facet of the brave new RSA. Jackson Family Estates has brought on winemaker Graham Weerts and old vine whisperer Rosa Kruger for this age-worthy wine. Grapes were sourced from three vineyards ranging from 175-750m in altitude: Stellenbosch (12-15 year old vines on rich clay); Overberg (28 year old vines on granite); Robertson (ten year old vines on limestone). One year in French oak (55 percent new) and regular battonage has yielded a generous, rich, creamy white with perfumed vanilla pear, red apple, bosc pear and stony spice, spread upon a solid wood framework. Settling into its thoroughbred stature now, and will continue to do so over the next few years. 1000 cases made

Fred Holloway's first full vintage started off with a bang. This big, complex Chardonnay has aromas of tropical fruit underscored by butterscotch and mint. The flavors burst with pineapple and a touch of menthol, while the long, buttery finish is perfectly complemented by racy acidity.

Another elegant wine from Cambria. This one has a vanilla, smoke and grapefruit nose. Medium weight, it is crisp in the mouth, though somewhat leaner than the Bench Break. This cuvée nicely melds green apple fruit with menthol and vanilla accents. The bouquet is a reprise of the long, sweet-tart, butterscotch and tangy oak finish.

Santa Maria Valley. This vintage-driven wine has come through with marvelously balanced ripe fruit played off against a tightly would structure and will simply get better and better over the next few years. A minerally, gunpowder note adds to the wine's range just as creamy, toasty oak adds to its overall richness, and what passes for a wonderfully solid effort seems likely to grow into even better.

A winning nose offers aromas of créme brulée, smoked bacon, pears, peaches and toasty vanilla that just keep coming on in this stylish, full wine. The palate shows similar flavors. The big mouthfeel continues on the long, slightly sweet finish with its toasty, smoky oak. Strong already, but it should be even better in six months. From the maker of the fine afforable and widely available Katerine's Vineyard Chardonnay, top value.

Dark color. Pretty aromas of cherry, vanilla, tea, meat, mushroom, earth and smoke mingle. Very complex and concentrated. Tiers of ripe, sweet stone fruit with spicy oak notes and a lively acidity. Delicious now.

Like many pinots made from Dijon clones in California, this is a big, black-fruited wine. Yet it shows some restraint, with a bright shot of red rose coming up out of the blackness. Richly oaked, this could use a year or two to absorb some of its wood tannin. Then serve with pappardelle and boar ragu.

The medium ruby-colored 2016 Pinot Noir Clone 2A comes from the Julia's Vineyard in Santa Maria and reveals a darker, smoky bouquet of black raspberries, black cherries, charred earth, and singed cedar. It's nicely concentrated on the palate, with terrific purity as well as a firmer, more focused style that's going to benefit from short-term cellaring. This wine spent 10 months in 100% new French oak.

Rich and hearty black cherry, clove, star anise and vanilla team with a bit of crushed slate minerality on the nose of this block-designated bottling. Dark berries, cola, chaparral herbs and white pepper show on the sip, where squeaky tannins arise toward the finish.

Moderate garnet color in the glass. Forceful and assertive, with attractive aromas and flavors of black cherry, blackberry, fertile earth and oak-driven dark chocolate and spice. The flavors fill the mouth without over reaching. Mid weight plus in style, with a firm backbone of tannin that keeps the fruit in line. The broadly flavored finish is appealing.

The 2014 Pinot Noir Clone 4 comes all from a single clone and the sandy loam soils of the Cambria Estate Vineyard. It spent seven months in 23% new French oak. There are notes of spice, underbrush, some sappy flowers, hints of sappy herbs and darker raspberry fruit in this medium-bodied, supple, beautifully polished, elegant and seamless beauty. It's incredibly high quality, and a solid value as well.

2015 PINOT NOIR, POMMARD CLONE 4 The nose is a rich and savory rhubarb, plum, garrigue and graphite with notes of sun-warmed tomato. The palate entry is supple cherry and cranberry with a core of mouth-coating dry red fruit, tobacco and herb.

Coming all from the Pommard clone, the 2014 Pinot Noir Clone 4 Seeds of Empowerment exhibits a darker ruby color as well classic red raspberry, red currants, sappy herb and floral aromas and flavors. Fresh, elegant and beautifully polished, with an undeniable elegance, drink it over the coming 7-8 years.

The 2014 Pinot Noir Clone 2A is darker in color and has a terrific bouquet of exotic flowers, blackberries, leafy herbs and mint. Rich, sappy, textured and grippy on the palate, with solid length, it needs a year or bottle age. Still it is certainly an outstanding Pinot Noir.

A powerful, ample wine, the 2014 Pinot Noir Clone 23 is wine more of impact than of subtlety. There is plenty of depth to the dark, boldly sketched flavors. Ripeness is pushed to the edge, but the wine clearly has the breadth and shoulders to handle all of that intensity.

Last of the clonal releases, the 2014 Pinot Noir Clone 23 is downright exotic, with lots of ripeness in its plum, blackberry, licorice and roasted herbs aromatics. Hitting the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, plenty of fruit and ripe tannin, it's dramatically different in style than the other releases, which are much closer in style. Drink this chewy, rustic, yet flavorful beauty over the coming 7-8 years.

A pretty, open-knit Pinot, the 2013 Clone 115 offers lovely mid-palate pliancy and depth. Sweet red cherry, plum, spice and French oak are all super-expressive in the glass, while pretty floral and savory notes add lift on the finish.

Offering fabulous fruit and a rounded, supple profile, the 2012 Pinot Noir Clone 4 gives up perfumed strawberry, Asian spice, wild flowers and dried underbrush in a medium-bodied, pure and layered package. It too was completely destemmed and fermented and aged all in barrel. Enjoy this beauty over the coming 5-6 years.

Also outstanding, the 2012 Pinot Noir Clone 115 is a pretty, zippy and sappy effort that has notions of cherry pit, freshly snipped flowers and distinct minerality to go with a medium-bodied, energetic and lively feel on the palate. Completely destemmed and fermented and aged in 100% new French oak, it picks up additional tannic grip with time in the glass, and should evolve nicely over the coming 5-7 years.