Ataraxia, founded by celebrated South African winemaker Kevin Grant, is perched high in the dramatic hills of the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, one of the country’s premier cool-climate wine regions. With vineyards planted at altitude on stony, clay-rich soils derived from ancient Bokkeveld Shale, Ataraxia is uniquely positioned to craft wines of purity, precision, and place.
The 2022 vintage marks only the third time Ataraxia has produced a fully skin-fermented Chardonnay, drawing on millennia-old winemaking traditions. This limited bottling pushes boundaries while honouring heritage, using an ancient technique to deepen the narrative of South African Chardonnay. The result is a rare and distinctive wine that invites curiosity and rewards attention, offering an authentic expression of terroir and time.
In the glass, it opens with aromas of orange peel, chamomile, toasted almond, and dried apricot, layered with earthy undertones and subtle spice. On the palate, the wine is structured yet fluid, with firm tannins and a mouth-coating richness that gives way to notes of preserved lemon, white peach, ginger, and a gentle saline minerality. The extended skin contact imparts both grip and intrigue, while the cool-climate acidity of Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge keeps the wine vibrant and precise through a lingering, savoury finish.