Lautus Chardonnay
86/100
How we scoreVerdict
Editorial VerdictSoft creamy weight and a nutty, lightly bittersweet close give this Chardonnay more presence than the Sauvignon Blanc. Fruit and oak stay in balance; conventional richness is still out of reach, but the likeness holds.
Verified facts
Evidence: Producer documented · 4 sources
- Sourced ABV <0.5% Bottle
- Sourced Classification Dealcoholized Producer documentation
- Sourced Method Spinning cone Producer documentation
- Sourced Origin Western Cape, South Africa Producer documentation
At a glance
- Flavor profile
- Peach
- Orange
- Apple
- Oak
- Pear
- Citrus
- Vanilla
- Nutty
- Structure
- Off-dry
- Moderate acidity
- No tannin
- Medium body
- Medium finish
- Still
Tasting notes
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Nose
Peach, orange, and yellow apple with a light oak note — orchard fruit first, wood as a frame, not a butter bomb.
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Palate
Pear and citrus with vanilla and soft creamy weight. Broader through the middle than the Lautus Sauvignon Blanc, without tipping into heavy sweetness.
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Finish
Fresh, lightly nutty and bittersweet — acidity keeps the close clean rather than sugary.
The wine
Soft creamy weight is the argument. Pear, citrus, and vanilla sit on a broader middle than the Lautus Sauvignon Blanc — still medium-light, but the texture has somewhere to go. That creaminess does not tip into butter bomb; it fills the space alcohol usually occupies just enough to feel like Chardonnay rather than a thin white.
The nose leads with peach, orange, and yellow apple, oak kept light. Orchard fruit first, wood as a frame. On the palate the citrus stays bright beside the vanilla; fruit and oak stay in conversation rather than one drowning the other. The finish is fresh, nutty, and lightly bittersweet — acidity closing the glass instead of sugar.
Chill it, but not to ice. Too cold and the creamy middle goes mute; too warm and the bittersweet edge of the finish sharpens. Conventional Chardonnay richness and length are still missing. Presence and likeness are not: this is the most complete of the three Lautus stills in this tasting, and it drinks like the variety on purpose.
How to drink it
Chilled, not ice-cold, in a white-wine glass.
How it was made
Classification Dealcoholized
Evidence status Producer documented
Same Lautus line process: traditional fermentation, then spinning-cone removal under vacuum in two passes (US About + FAQs). US PDP notes gentle oaking; ZA PDP states less than 0.5% alcohol by volume in copy.
Sources disagree on the following points.
- Sugar: US PDP lists 3.2 g / 100 ml residual sugar; ZA PDP lists 2.6 / 100 ml. Sugar field keeps the US figure; no resolved value.
- Calories: US PDP lists 16 cal per 5 oz; ZA PDP lists 16 kcal / 100 ml. Different serving bases — both recorded in calories.
Product record history
Sourced changes and open disagreements. Prior claims stay on the record when sources conflict.
Product record history
- Reviewed and published.
- Abv — Sourced check for abv.
- Production_type — Sourced check for production_type.
- Dealcoholization_method — Sourced check for dealcoholization_method.
- Sugar — Sourced check for sugar.
- Calories — Sourced check for calories.
- Open Sugar — US PDP lists 3.2 g / 100 ml residual sugar; ZA PDP lists 2.6 / 100 ml. Sugar field keeps the US figure; no resolved value.
- Open Calories — US PDP lists 16 cal per 5 oz; ZA PDP lists 16 kcal / 100 ml. Different serving bases — both recorded in calories.
Sources
Product facts are only as strong as their sources. Editorial tasting notes are opinion.
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Front label on producer packshot: CONTAINS LESS THAN 0.5% ALCOHOL BY VOLUME; also DE-ALCOHOLISED WINE / CHARDONNAY. ZA PDP copy also states less than 0.5% alcohol by volume.
Verified facts -
Verified facts
-
US PDP 3.2 g/100 ml; ZA PDP lists 2.6/100 ml — see discrepancies.
Verified facts
Additional citations & background
Keep tasting
Other Chardonnay
86/100
How we score