Restless River Ava Marie Chardonnay

What we’re drinking this week: Restless River Ava Marie Chardonnay

Old vines, cool climate and a beautifully restrained chardonnay make for long lunches and even longer dinners.
July 31, 2026
1 min read

This is another standout from Restless River Vineyards, the family-owned estate in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley that’s built a reputation for some of South Africa’s finest cool-climate wines. Home to some of the region’s oldest chardonnay vines, its award-winning, single-vineyard wines prove exactly why chardonnay remains the world’s most loved white grape.

Our pick this week:

Restless River Ava Marie Chardonnay

R679.99, Woolworths

Why we love it:

Restless River’s Ava Marie has become something of a cult favourite, offering bright citrus, a flinty mineral edge and just enough oak to keep things interesting. Precise, elegant and wonderfully restrained, it’s a chardonnay that rewards slow sipping. Pair it with grilled line fish, a classic herb-and-butter roast chicken with lemon and garlic, or a creamy fettuccine finished with crispy sage butter, and call it a very good evening.

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Sarah Buitendach

With a sharp eye for design, Sarah has an unparalleled sense of shifting cultural, artistic and lifestyle sensibilities. As the former editor of Wanted magazine, founding editor of the Sunday Times Home Weekly, and many years in magazines, she is the heartbeat of Currency’s pleasure arm.

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