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Simonsig Aurum Chardonnay 2007

Enticing pale straw colour. The nose shows inviting lemon cream and lime blossom aromas intertwined with complex roasted almond and hazelnut characters. On the palate the funky orange peel and mineral notes create a remarkably fresh wine showing hints of a smoky spiciness due to its 16 months in new French oak barrels. The silky smooth mouthfeel is balanced by a lingering fresh acidity on the finish. A wonderful handcrafted Chardonnay from a superb vintage.

A delicious wine with ripe creamy cheese and rich seafood.
variety : Chardonnay [ 100% Chardonnay ]
winemaker : Johan Malan
wine of origin : Stellenbosch
analysis : alc : 14.1 % vol  rs : 3.2 g/l  pH : 3.3  ta : 6 g/l  
type : White  body : Full   wooded
pack : Bottle  size : 0  closure : Cork  
AWARDS
2003
2006 SAA First Class Listing
2006 Chardonnay-du-Monde - Silver Medal
2006 The Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show - Bronze Medal
2004
2006 Winemakers Choice Awards - Diamond Award

ageing : Delicious to drink now and will reward your patience with deeper complexity over 3 to 5 years from vintage.
in the vineyard : Heritage
Simonsig pioneered one of the first Chardonnays in South Africa and released their first Chardonnay vintage in 1978. More than 30 years’ experience brought the expert knowledge to find the ultimate combination where the best terroir and the most suitable Chardonnay clone combine to create classic quality wine. The deep red soils of Simonsig and the cool maritime climate of Stellenbosch is perfectly suited to fully express the nobility of Chardonnay.

Vintage Description
Very cool conditions in the early part of the season were ideal for flavour formation. These conditions lasted up to mid January when temperatures rose significantly and caused ripening to increase rapidly. A welcome shower in early February refreshed the vines and normalised the weather pattern. The nights were cool and south westerly breezes moderated temperatures during the day. Three clones were vinified separately and three different yeasts were used plus some natural (wild) yeast. Picking at different ripeness levels adds to the complexity of the fruit profile. This ties in with the aim to achieve more freshness and primary fruit to the final wine.
about the harvest: The first Chardonnay from a new vineyard was picked on 2 February and the last block was picked more than a month later on 8 March.
in the cellar : During the Chardonnay’s time in barrel there are always a few barrels that stand out from the rest. It is out of these that a final selection of five barrels were made to create the Aurum. One can say the cream of the crop! Two Tonnellerie de Mercurey, two Billon and a VVB barrel made from tight grain Allier and centre of France oak made up the final selection. The first two are Burgundian coopers who have made barrels for Chardonnay for generations. Two barrels were fermented naturally and came from an older vineyard (10 years) on a deep red soil. The balance originated from a relatively young vineyard planted with Burgundian clones which ripen very easily. These were inoculated with two different yeast strains. Malolactic fermentation was done on all the barrels to add a buttery character to the wine. Battonnage (lees stirring) was done twice a week for 100 days. The full maturation period of 16 months was done on the gross lees.
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OTHER VINTAGES

Simonsig Aurum Chardonnay 2009
Chardonnay
Simonsig Aurum Chardonnay 2007
Chardonnay