Chardonnay 2020

Chardonnay grapes are planted at the foot of Paarl Mountain , which is the 2nd largest geological outcrop of granite in the world. The soils are made up of decomposed granite and the minerality present in the wines is a direct result of this type of soil. The grapes are all harvested by hand and come from what we call “ bush vines ”: small, sturdy, low vines that do not reach the top of the knees. They are not very productive and the berries are small. On the other hand, the skins are thicker and flavorful, which makes them more distinctive and expressive wines. The harvest is done cool and fermentation at low temperature which brings acidity and freshness to the wine. It reveals aromas of lemon , pear , golden apple , juicy pineapple , peach , honeysuckle and acacia flowers . The wine is round and lively at the end which provides a nice sensation of freshness on the finish.

The first vines were planted in South Africa by Dutch settlers in the 1650s, although wine production did not really begin to take off until the arrival of French Protestants, in the 1680s, with their skills and their knowledge of viticulture. Stellenbosch is also a historic wine region, with the first vineyards being planted there in the 1690s. Today South Africa is one of the most important wine producing countries in the southern hemisphere. With over 300 years of winemaking history, it is often described as a bridge between the Old and New Worlds. The majority of wines are produced using New World winemaking techniques, but they often have more in common stylistically with their Old World counterparts. Since the end of apartheid, South African wine has received international attention and acclaim for its wide variety of styles. South Africa's wine industry is spread across the lush and rugged landscape of the Western Cape. Here, the abundance of mountains, valleys and plateaus allows winemakers to produce a wide variety of styles. Vineyards can also be found in the Orange River region of the Northern Cape, where the flat, arid landscape is dominated by the Kalahari Desert. Most of South Africa's wine regions have a Mediterranean climate, strongly influenced by the meeting of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The country's signature grape variety is Pinotage, an indigenous cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut that is rarely found in quantity in other wine-producing countries. Shiraz (Syrah) is also widely planted, as are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (often combined in a Bordeaux blend). South African Chardonnay, Chenin and Sauvignon Blanc have become popular internationally in recent years.