in the cellar : Composition:
100% Chardonnay of which 85% were Vergelegen grapes and the balance of 15% were grapes from Durbanville.
Vineyard:
The grapes were sourced from premium vineyards, both on Vergelegen and Durbanville
Winemaking:
The grapes were picked at optimum flavour development. The grapes were picked in 500 kilogram bins and sorted on a table to ensure that only premium grapes got processed. No skin contact was allowed. The grapes were gently pressed (ripe grapes and hot climate results in higher phenol content, therefore gentle pressing was required), to avoid the extraction of harsh tannins which can cause bitterness. Settling was controlled through turbidity readings to ensure that the juice was not too clean.
93% of the juice was fermented in small 225 litre oak barrels and matured for a further 6 months on the lees.