De Wetshof Limestone Hill Chardonnay 2024

Name: De Wetshof Limestone Hill Chardonnay 2024
Brand: Danie de Wet
SKU: 50925

Heavy clay soils rich in limestone allow this Chardonnay to emit optimum varietal expression in a cloak of rich complexity. An unwooded wine, Limestone Hill has notes of grapefruit and nuts, with the complexity balanced by a nuanced elegance ending with a delicate ripeness.

The American critic Robert Parker describes this wine as such: “The De Wetshof Estate Limestone Hill Chardonnay never sees oak, and offers impeccably pure, refreshing apple, peach and lemon fruit, a lovely leesy richness of texture, and a nutty, chalky, fruit-filled finish of imposing length. Understated and less tropical than some of the better un-oaked Chardonnays, this wine possesses far better balance and sheer drinkability – not to mention more finesse – than 99% of the world’s Chardonnay I have experienced.”

As a culinary companion, Limestone Hill is superb with oysters, cream-based pasta dishes and light curries, as well as roast pork and veal dishes.

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variety : Chardonnay [ 100% Chardonnay ]

winery : De Wetshof Estate

winemaker : Danie de Wet

wine of origin : Robertson

analysis : alc : 13.37 % vol rs : 5 g/l pH : 3.27 ta : 7.2 g/l so2 : 36 mg/l fso2 : 91 mg/l

type : White style : Dry body : Full taste : Fruity

pack : Bottle size : 750ml closure : Screwcap

AWARDS

2024 Veritas Awards - Gold medal

ageing : 3 - 5 years

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 Estate 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 the vagaries of climate, as well as their development and progress over the years. Each vineyard is thus vinified separately during the wine-making process, the wine-makers having a clear understanding of what the fruit of each vineyard’s labour is going to deliver during a specific year.

This commitment to discovering and determining the various terrains on De Wetshof, as well as an absolute focus on site-specific vineyard management and wine-making, 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.

in the vineyard : Millennia ago the Robertson Valley teamed with termite colonies who built manificent nests from the soil. Over time these structures and their contents were calcified leading to the region having an exceptionally high limestone content. One of De Wetshof's vineyards is planted on a hill where the limestone is so abundant it shimmers in low light, and this is where the grapes of the Limestone Hill originate from.

Age of the vines: 7 - 22 years
Vines per hectare: 4000 and 4500
Rootstock: Richter 99 and Richter 110
Planting row: 2,4m x 1m and 1,83m x 1,2m
Soil pH: 7,8 - 8,5
Trellising style: 6 wine fence system cordon with spur pruning

about the harvest:

The grapes are picked in the coolness of morning, with the emphasis on capturing the natural complexities of the Chardonnay grape immediately for the making of this unwooded wine.

Yield: 5 - 8 tons per hectare

in the cellar :

Once de-stemming, pressing and overnight settling are complete, the juice is racked-off from the sediment and pumped into stainless steel tanks for the alcohol fermentation. After fermentation, the wine is left on the lees under controlled temperatures. Weekly stirring of the lees ensures maximum flavours are released into the wine until the wines are ready for bottling.

Tank maturation on thin lees: 4 months

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