Family Reserve
Chardonnay
On the nose there is a delicate balance of minerality with bursts of grapefruit pith, underpinned by subtle nuances of oak. The rounded, almost waxy, texture is punctuated by a distinct upfront grip and a finish reminiscent of Jasmine flowers and crushed oyster shells.
R1,794.00 / Case (R299.00 / Bottle)
R1,794.00 / Case (R299.00 / Bottle)
Winemaker's Notes
Only the very best expressions of Chardonnay are selected for this wine. Focus is placed on blending components that are not necessarily obviously pungent and fruity, but rather those that are intensely and elegantly structured, promising fantastic ageability. On the nose there is a delicate balance of minerality with bursts of grapefruit pith, underpinned by subtle nuances of oak. The rounded, almost waxy, texture is punctuated by a distinct upfront grip and a finish reminiscent of Jasmine flowers and crushed oyster shells. Enjoy now or age up to 10 years at optimum storage conditions.
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The first vintage ever of Family Reserve Chardonnay was crafted from two different wards and soil types (Decomposed Granite, and colluvial Tukulu soils) in Stellenbosch, each contributing to the complexity of the wine. Both vineyards are within 10km of the Atlantic Ocean, with the cooling breezes providing much needed relief from the summer heat, helping to retain natural acidity in the grapes. The run-up to the 2023 season was characterized by a warm and dry winter and spring, resulting in drier than usual soil conditions at the onset of the growing season. This resulted in earlier bud-break and flowering, and as such also promising an earlier than usual harvest.
Vinification
The different blocks used to create this wine were hand harvested separately between 21 and 23°balling. One portion was destemmed and crushed; the resulting juice given 12 -18 hours skin contact prior to settling. Another portion was whole bunch pressed to retain freshness and lend elegance to the resulting wine. After only 1 day of settling, the slightly turbid juice was racked off its gross lees to a stainless-steel tank where it was inoculated with selected slow fermenting yeast strains. The juice was then gravity fed into new 400L French oak barrels and 500L Italian Terracotta. The wine spent an extra 8 months on the lees in the respective fermentation vessels, the resulting blend consists of 50% barrel fermented wine and 50% Terracotta fermented wine with no fining or filtration before bottling.
Only the very best expressions of Chardonnay are selected for this wine. Focus is placed on blending components that are not necessarily obviously pungent and fruity, but rather those that are intensely and elegantly structured, promising fantastic ageability. On the nose there is a delicate balance of minerality with bursts of grapefruit pith, underpinned by subtle nuances of oak. The rounded, almost waxy, texture is punctuated by a distinct upfront grip and a finish reminiscent of Jasmine flowers and crushed oyster shells. Enjoy now or age up to 10 years at optimum storage conditions.
The first vintage ever of Family Reserve Chardonnay was crafted from two different wards and soil types (Decomposed Granite, and colluvial Tukulu soils) in Stellenbosch, each contributing to the complexity of the wine. Both vineyards are within 10km of the Atlantic Ocean, with the cooling breezes providing much needed relief from the summer heat, helping to retain natural acidity in the grapes. The run-up to the 2023 season was characterized by a warm and dry winter and spring, resulting in drier than usual soil conditions at the onset of the growing season. This resulted in earlier bud-break and flowering, and as such also promising an earlier than usual harvest.
The different blocks used to create this wine were hand harvested separately between 21 and 23°balling. One portion was destemmed and crushed; the resulting juice given 12 -18 hours skin contact prior to settling. Another portion was whole bunch pressed to retain freshness and lend elegance to the resulting wine. After only 1 day of settling, the slightly turbid juice was racked off its gross lees to a stainless-steel tank where it was inoculated with selected slow fermenting yeast strains. The juice was then gravity fed into new 400L French oak barrels and 500L Italian Terracotta. The wine spent an extra 8 months on the lees in the respective fermentation vessels, the resulting blend consists of 50% barrel fermented wine and 50% Terracotta fermented wine with no fining or filtration before bottling.