The 2023 Chardonnay has a brilliant light yellow hue with green flecks. On the nose – stone fruit, lime zest, and white floral notes. The palate is taught and focused due to a vibrant acidity. Nectarine and yellow fruit flavours combine with hints of brioche and toasty notes on a tight and lingering aftertaste.

At the heart of Francis Wines lies the story of a youngster, Burton Francis, who’s had to face much adversity and endured his fair share of hardships growing up in the – then rural – town of Paarl, South Africa. He remembers making tracks as he ran from intruders breaking into and hiding in their house. He remembers having to play rugby barefoot on craggy ground – on a cobbled-together, thorny rugby field. Through it all, a determination was birthed to see the soil under his feet change.

Fast forward to a young man tasting the fruit of his hard work and his perseverance that helped him overcome the challenges of his environment, and saw him excel in his rugby career – on home turf, and abroad as a fly-half for several teams in France. His illustrious rugby career spanned over a decade until he had to bow out due to injury.