in the vineyard : The Viognier grapes were sourced from west to south-west facing, trellised vineyards in Darling, Philidelphia and Durbanville, some grown in dark, alluvial soils and others in decomposed granite. The vines are 4 to 5 years in age, grafted on Richter 99 trellised on a 5 wire hedge system receiving no irrigation .
All the Chardonnay grapes came from Stellenbosch, grown either in yellow-brown Clovelly soils with a high gravel content and excellent drainage or deep, red Hutton soils that keep the roots cooled during the hot summer months. The trellised vines vary in age, with some as old as 20 years, while the youngest among them were nine years old at the time of harvesting.
about the harvest: The early-ripening Chardonnay was hand-picked over a period of three weeks from mid-February to early March, at 21,5 to 22,5° Balling, showing ripe flavours with strong citrus notes. Also hand-harvested, the Viognier was picked at 23 to24° Balling, during the 2nd and 3rd week of February, when the grapes showed fruit flavours.