Draaiboek, Kinkel Chardonnay 2023

Why we love this bottle

Draaiboek is Afrikaans for script. Five friends met during their studies in Stellenbosch in the early 2000s. Afterwards everyone went their own way, to different countries and jobs. But they stayed in touch, and years later they came back together to start this wine house. They have no vineyards of their own, they choose grapes from growers. The wine is made by Stephanie Wiid, one of the best known winemakers of the moment. We love it because every bottle tells a chapter of their story.

All their wines carry an Afrikaans name that fits a chapter of the script. Their first wine was called Onskuld, innocence, for how naive they were at the start. Kinkel means a twist, an unexpected turn in the plot. This Chardonnay comes from Elgin, a cool apple growing region in the mountains near Cape Town. Lemon peel, grapefruit and wet stone, with a creamy edge. Taut, pure and very fresh. A story with a twist, and a beautiful ending.