Vineyard
SOURCE: This 2019 Chardonnay was produced from a single vineyard, sourced from neighboring farms in the Franschhoek valley.
WEATHER: Prior to ripening, the conditions were hot and very dry.
HARVESTING: The grapes were hand harvested on 11 February then transported back to the cellar under cold conditions to retain freshness.
Cellar
VINIFICATION: The grapes were whole bunch pressed and transferred to a stainless steel tank for settling. After three days, the juice was racked to older 300L French oak barrels for fermentation. 33% of the barrels underwent wild fermentation and 67% were inoculated. After malolactic fermentation, the lees were mixed weekly for the first two months and after that mixed once a month, until bottling. After 11 months maturation in barrel the wild and inoculated barrels were blended and bottled.
Tasting & Analysis
TASTING NOTES: Stone fruit and white pear notes on the nose accompanied by fresh citrus and flinty characters on the palate, with a rich textured finish, due to the barrel ageing. Acidity, fruit and oak all balanced well to makes this a great example of Franschhoek Chardonnay.
FOOD ACCOMPANIMENT:Chardonnay is best enjoyed chilled as an aperitif at any time of the day. It can be partnered with a wide range of foods and snacks, such as stir-fries and lighter curries. It is released ready to drink and will continue to develop in the bottle.
TECHNICAL ANALYSIS: alc. 14% - pH 3.48 - Total acid 5.3 g/l -Residual Sugar 2.8 g/l
PRODUCTION: 4373 bottles