Chardonnay Reserve 2005

 
SOURCE:
  This 2005 Chardonnay was sourced from a single vineyard on a farm in the Franschhoek valley that has consistently won awards for its Chardonnay wine.
WEATHER:
  The summer was dry and hot with low rainfall.  A cold and relatively dry winter and higher summer rainfall figures than the previous year led to riper fruit at harvest.
HARVESTING:
  The grapes were hand harvested in the coolness of early morning on the 8th of February.
VINIFICATION:
  The selected bunches were whole-berry pressed and cold settled for three days in tanks. The juice was racked to 225l French oak barrels and underwent primary fermentation with wild yeasts until dry over two months. Spontaneous malolactic fermentation occurred, and the wine remained in barrels on the lees for maturation for 12 months, with regular batonage. The wine was fined and bottled in February 2006.
TASTING NOTES:
  This fine wooded wine has a golden hue and characters of pear and limes.   The second fill barrels impart less wood characters and lead to a fruitier and well balanced structure with a long smooth finish.
FOOD ACCOMPANIMENT:
 

This Chardonnay is a delicious dry wine that can be enjoyed as an aperitif, or partnered with shellfish, seafood dishes, and richer dishes such as roasted white meats and risottos.
                                                It will continue to develop in the bottle for 5 years from harvest.

TECHNICAL ANAYSIS:
 

pH               3.11 
Alcohol               14%
(At bottling) Total acid    7.2g/l
Residual Sugar   4.6

PRODUCTION:
  410 x 12-bottle cases             
270 x 6-bottle cases
WINEMAKER:
  Nikey van Zyl
 
 

 
 
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