De Wetshof The Site Chardonnay 2023

ageing : The wine gains further character and  an added dimension through bottle-maturation, and wine-lovers willing to wait for up to 10 years before opening this wine will be richly rewarded.

De Wetshof is a third generation wine estate in South Africa's Robertson Valley, where wine has been made for over 150 years. Here Danie de Wet, proprietor and cellarmaster, is assisted by sons and co-owners Johann (viticulture and marketing) and Peter (winemaker). De Wetshof is a pioneer of noble white wines in South Africa and has also introduced superior red cultivars to the Robertson Wine Valley.

On De Wetshof a firm belief prevails, namely that one cannot know where you are going unless you know where you have come from. This is why the history of De Wetshof's vineyards plays a profound role in determining present and future wine quality. Since the early 1970's meticulous records have been kept on each vineyard as to the plants' reaction to soil-types, irrigation and vagaries of climate, as well as their development and progress over the years.

Each vineyard is thus vinified separately during the winemaking process, the winemakers having a clear understanding of what the fruit of each vineyard's labour is going to deliver during a specific year.

This commitment to site-specific vineyard management and winemaking has been an integral part of the De Wetshof ethos from the outset and remains a vital and non-negotiable aspect of all the Estate's wines.

A specific selection of Chardonnay imported from Burgundy, the home of the Chardonnay grape. The size of the vineyard is 2.55Ha and lies on a southern slope.

Age of the vines: 18 years
Vines per hectare: 4000
Rootstock: 110-14
Planting row: 2,4m x 1m
Soil pH: 7,7 - 8,3
Trellising style: 6 Wire fence system cordon with spur pruning