Chardonnay

This Chardonnay pairs excellently with dishes such as roasted chicken, grilled seafood, creamy pasta, and soft cheeses like Brie or Camembert.

The heart of our conviction is simple yet deliberate. Trust the Site. 20 years ago, Peter Clarke founded the farm up in the cool heights of the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. Here, in a natural and beautiful ampitheatre, he chose the purity of planting dryland vineyards on virgin soils. Each block is exposed to unique aspects of soil and climate, rewarding us with layered and complex fruit that provides the foundation for our wines that are unveiled in our cellar to reveal their full expression of terroir and vintage.

Block 7 vineyard extends down a hillside, transitioning from an east-facing aspect to a southeast-facing slope, while Block 10, the Lower vineyard on the estate features a north-to northwest facing orientation. This variation in terroir contributed to wines with a refined austerity, pronounced tension, and restrained citrus aromatics, underpinned by a vibrant acidity that forms the backbone of their character. The 2023 Chardonnay production remained consistent with the long-term average. The growing season recorded an average rainfall of 788mm, with 43% (341mm) occurring during the wet season. However the vintage presented certain challenges, notable a two-week heatwave in January that accelerated the ripening process.

After a total of nine months in barrel, it was blended and transferred to stainless steel tanks for an additional six months of maturation. Prior to bottling, the wine underwent stabilization and was gently clarified through filtration to ensure purity and balance.

The grapes were carefully destemmed and pressed before undergoing settling, facilitated by pectolytic enzymes. After 24 hours, the clarified juice was racked off and transferred to 500L French oak barrels and amphorae for spontaneous fermentation. Upon the completion of alcoholic fermentation, sulfur dioxide was added to prevent malolactic fermentation, preserving the wine's freshness and natural acidity. The wine remained on gross lees, with minimal bâtonnage performed during the first six months to enhance texture without compromising vibrancy.