Journey’s End Chardonnay 2021 review – fresh and crisp South African white wine

Journey’s End Chardonnay 2021 Review

A fresh, citrus-led South African Chardonnay with a subtle touch of oak.

I’ve found that Chardonnay often gets a bit of a bad rep, or is seen as one of the least “chic” white wines on the market. Which is funny, because Chablis — 100% Chardonnay — seems to have a completely different perception entirely.

But despite that, of the three most common white wines you’ll find on a wine list — Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc — Chardonnay has always been my favourite.

I admit, it’s probably the hardest of the three to put into a box. There’s a huge difference between a crisp, refreshing unoaked Chardonnay and a rich, buttery, weighty oaked one. But isn’t that exactly what makes it so interesting?

And this Journey’s End Chardonnay is a good example of why I’m always excited to explore the grape.

Journey’s End Taste the Difference Chardonnay 2021

The Journey’s End Taste the Difference Chardonnay 2021 is a South African Chardonnay made for Sainsbury’s, and it’s a good example of a style I tend to enjoy: fresh and fruity, but with enough texture and softness to keep the acidity in check.

In the glass, it’s a pale straw colour. On the nose, I picked up fresh lemon and gooseberry first, followed by softer tropical fruit. There’s also a subtle pear note and something slightly grassy, giving it a fresh, summery character.

On the palate, the citrus comes through immediately. It’s dry and fairly high in acidity, with lemon and gooseberry leading the way before the tropical fruit starts to soften things out. I tend to prefer Chardonnay when it has plenty of fruit but isn’t overpowered by acidity, and this one sits nicely between the two.

There’s also a subtle vanilla note and a little more roundness and softness than you might expect from the initial citrus character. There is some oak influence, but it’s subtle rather than overwhelming — you get a little of that vanilla richness without the wine becoming heavily oaked or buttery.

For me, this is a good example of why I keep coming back to Chardonnay. It doesn’t fit neatly into the “crisp” or “buttery” camps. It sits somewhere in between, with the acidity, fruit and subtle oak all working together.

Ready to try something new?

If you love Chardonnay but you’re ready to branch out, check out my guide to the best alternative wines to Chardonnay.

Read the guide

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