06 Oct Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Capensis Silene 2017 Chardonnay, Stellenbosch, South Africa

As I opened up the 2017 Capensis Silene Chardonnay this week, I recalled being enchanted by the 2015 Capensis Chardonnay. And, like the 2015, the 2017 Chardonnay was equally captivating so the Capensis Silene 2017 Chardonnay, Stellenbosch, South Africa is the Please The Palate wine of the week.

Capensis was founded by the Jackson Family in 2013. Winemaker Graham Weerts, who started his career in South Africa, is responsible for overseeing the vineyard and winemaking operations for Jackson Family wineries Stonestreet, Arrowood and Matanzas Creek in Sonoma County, as well as Capensis in South Africa.

The name Capensis was taken from the Latin word for “from the cape”. And Capensis silene is a genus of flowering plant in the Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest and most diverse of the six floral kingdoms in the world. It flowers only at night and the roots of Capensis silene were historically harvested by shaman diviners to make a tea and journey on a spiritual quest.

Capensis focuses exclusively on Chardonnay, producing three different expressions. The 2015 Capensis Chardonnay I had first tried was from the Western Cape however the Capensis Silene is sourced from two mountain vineyards in the Stellenbosch region.

The Capensis Silene 2017 Chardonnay from Stellenbosch retails for $40. It has an elegant nose with apple, lemon, lime, grapefruit, floral, and flinty notes,  a touch of brioche. On the palate, the wine is complex with layers of flavors and a beautiful texture. It is fresh and delicious with elegant acidity that gives the wine a long finish. This wine will enhance any meal of fish, chicken, or pasta with a cream or butter sauce.