De Wetshof Finesse / Lesca Chardonnay 2008 (375ml)

Finesse is a slightly wooded Chardonnay, exuding lively aromas of citrus and green apple with a racy conclusion of nutty, lemony and mineral flavours.


variety : Chardonnay [ 100% Chardonnay ]
winemaker : Danie de Wet
wine of origin : Robertson
analysis : alc : 13.89 % vol  rs : 3.5 g/l  pH : 3.24  ta : 6.6 g/l  va : 0.34 g/l  so2 : 106 mg/l  fso2 : 31 mg/l  
type : White  style : Dry  body : Medium  taste : Fruity   wooded
pack : Bottle  closure : Cork  

ageing : 2 - 5 years.

in the vineyard : Danie de Wet, present owner and winemaker of De Wetshof Estate, studied viticulture and cellar technology at Geisenheim, the famous German wine institute.

Danie pioneered the noble white varieties of Europe in South Africa and today the estate of 200 hectares specialises in superior white wines exclusively. Thus, De Wetshof, the first registered wine estate in the Robertson region, made South Africa's first Chardonnay Superior, Sauvignon Blanc and Rhine Riesling Superior. Today Danie specialises in Chardonnay.

Climate: Summer afternoons are fanned by a cool breeze from the Agulhas Coast. Nights are chilly and mist often shrouds the vineyards until late morning during high summer
Irrigation: The vineyards are scientifically irrigated with the aid of a fully computerised irrigation system. Thanks to the most modern technology, irrigation on De Wetshof has been turned into an asset promoting the quality of the grapes.
Soils: The gravely soils are extremely rich in lime with a 7.8 - 8 pH
Rainfall: Robertson is a winter rainfall area with approximately 300mm per annum.
Pest Control: Due to a very dry climate, spraying is minimal compared to other wine growing regions.
Winemaking Methods: Danie de Wet adjusts his methods of winemaking from year to year, according to weather conditions and grape quality, in the belief that wine is made in the vineyard and not in the cellar.

Soil Type: Gravel Lime
Rootstock: Richter 99, 110 and 101-14
Age of the vines: 11 - 18 years
Vines per hectare: 4,000
Trellising style: 6 Wire fence system cordon with spur pruning.

about the harvest: The juice for this wine is selected from clones strong in citrus flavour.

in the cellar : The juice for this wine is chosen from clones strong in citrus flavour. The fermentation process takes place in oak barrels at 17 - 20°C and after fermentation the wine is left on the lees for a relatively short period to compliment the delicate nature of the wine.

Barrel Maturation: 3 months
Cooper: French oak barrels for De Wetshof are specially chosen from specific coopers to enhance the quality of the fruit. 3 Months.

find our wines in :

OTHER VINTAGES