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Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Chardonnay 2011

This medium bodied wine has strong aromas of citrus, dry pear and orange peal fruit. The Chardonnay of the Stellenbosch area, with the extended lees contact in the barrels, added complexity and mouth feel to the blend.  The grapes from the Robertson Karoo soils give citrus mineral characters with a flinty finish on the palate. This style of wine  that we produce, with no malolactic fermentation in the barrel, ensures a fresh, round, crisp aftertaste with clean, strong varietal fruit.

variety : Chardonnay [ 100% Chardonnay ]
winemaker : Johan Joubert
wine of origin : Western Cape
analysis : alc : 14.0 % vol  rs : 3.8 g/l  pH : 3.20  ta : 7.8 g/l  
type : White  style : Off Dry  body : Medium  taste : Fruity   wooded
pack : Bottle  closure : Cork  
AWARDS
Decanter World Wine Awards 2013 - Silver
Winemakers Choice Awards 2012 - Diamond Award in the White Category
Veritas Wine Awards 2012 - Silver Medal
Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show 2012 - Bronze
International Wine Challenge 2012 - Commended
Decanter World Wine Awards 2012 - Commended
Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2012 - Silver Medal
in the vineyard : The relatively quick ripening season of 2011 provided optimal conditions for the ripening of Chardonnay fruit. Grapes were carefully selected from specific vineyards near the Stellenbosch False Bay region and blended with grapes from the Robertson Karoo Scali soils. The grapes  from the Stellenbosch region came from old vines that contributed to  the complexity in the wine. 50% of the Robertson fruit were picked earlier to add citrus, flinty aromas in this blend.

about the harvest: Early-morning harvesting at a sugar level of between 23 - 24° Balling.
in the cellar : After harvesting, the grapes were left in static drainers for 6 hours to extract flavour from the skins. The fermentation process was started in stainless steel tanks after which the wine fermented in 30% new, 50% second fill and 20% third fill French oak barrels. After the alcoholic fermentation was completed, no malolactic fermentation occured and the wine was left on the lees for 6 months. Barrel fermentation and maturation took place in 300 litre French oak tight grain barrels for an 7 month period.
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