The nose shows ripe citrus fruit with some toasted almond. The palate is more concentrated with stronger nectarine flavours, some peach and a lingering mineral finish. Well judged oak preserves a butterscotch palate and promotes a zesty acidity for graceful bottle ageing.
This Chardonnay will complement spicy Thai grill vegetables or even well matured cheeses.
Chardonnay is an extremely clonal and site specific variety. The Barrel Fermented Chardonnay displays how minerality generated from limestone can influence natural fruit and oak derived characteristics in Chardonnay from our Bottelary farm.
in the vineyard:
Grapes for this wine are harvested from our highest altitude vineyards in the Bottelary Hills. Interestingly enough, it is also the only block of lime stone on any of our properties and our Grandfather decided many years ago to plant Chardonnay to this small patch of land.
in the cellar:
Chardonnay grapes are harvested at 22 to 23 Balling, crushed and the juice allowed skin contact for up to 8 hours without any sulphur additions. The hyperoxygenated juice is then taken to barrels without proper settling and allowed to ferment with wild yeasts. Fermentation can take up to 3 months to finish and the wine is often stirred to lift the lees after fermentation has completed. The Chardonnay spends a total of 12 months in French barrels (30% new) on its gross lees giving the yeast cells chance to undergo autolysis to release more flavour and richness into the wine.