It is shortly after 11am and we just finished quality checks for the Basidina. This is among my favourites, not because it was named after mum, but because its chief ingredient Chardonnay is easy to work with. My dear mother Dina, rest her soul, was easy to work with, too. No fuss, no frills – just the way I like to operate. 

Chardonnay is a winemaker’s grape. It does not offer a lot of drama. It does not seek too much attention either. 

Winemakers can make light, elegant dry whites with it or create one that is buttery and full-bodied. I lean more to the crisp, elegant kind and that is what our Basidina is all about.