in the vineyard : Grapes were sourced from vineyards in the Durbanville, Philadelphia, Paarl and Slanghoek areas. Planted between 1980 and 1998, the grapes grow in Clovelly soil and decomposed granite, and at altitudes of 60 m and 120 m. Grafted onto nematode resistant rootstock Richter 99 and 101 – 114, the vines, yielding an average of 8 to 10 tons per hectare , received supplementary irrigation from a micro - irrigation system.
in the cellar : They were crushed and then cool-fermented in temperaturecontrolled stainless steel tanks for two to three weeks at 13°C. The Chardonnay was fermented in new and second fill barrels . No skin contact was allowed and only the free-run juice was used. The wine was left on the lees for just over 4 months until blending , with regular stirring taking place to bring the wine in contact with the lees.