Description

When most people think of top Chardonnays from South Africa, Stellenbosch or maybe Hermanus probably spring to mind first but some of the very best come from Danie de Wets estate in the less trendy Robertson Valley. Danie was one of the pioneer planters of Chardonnay in South Africa back in the early 1970’s he is today aided by his sons Johann (viticulture and marketing) and Peter (wine making). Their old family estate had the perfect limestone and clay soils and Robertson’s climate, cold winters and warm summers tempered by fresh southerly breezes suited Chardonnay.

The Lesca Vineyard is high lying and has gravelly soils rich in limestone and clay which hold water well and gives good lemony acidity to the resulting wine. Picked early in the morning to capture the aromatic fruit, with nutty notes and fresh acidity. De-stemmed, crushed and settled overnight the juice is then transferred to mostly 2nd fill French oak barrels for fermentation and subsequent aging for 10 months.

The delicate red apple and peach nose with hints of brioche and nuts leads to a really elegant long palate with nicely balance oak and fresh acidity. You, sadly now, will find nothing of this class in Burgundy at this price.