Meerlust Chardonnay 2018

Very bright, polished platinum with green, vivacious hue. Complex, appealing nose with pear, citrus and floral notes developing into lemon cream, oatmeal and marzipan richness. On the palate the wine is medium bodied and linear but retains generous focused citrus fruit flavours with sleek, balanced and crisp acidity. The wine remains vivacious and fresh on the finish with clean citrus fruit and stony minerality. The wine has a long, very pleasant lingering finish. Decanting and exposure to air opens the aroma and palate of the wine.

Ageing Potential: Up to six years, provided wine is stored in ideal cellar conditions.

Blend Information: 100% Chardonnay

In the VIneyard: Sourced from 4 vineyards on the Estate situated on well drained Oakleaf, Dundee and Swartland soil types which produces the rich textured mouth feel and minerality. The younger vineyards were planted in 2007 on Cartref soils giving a greater fruit expression. The vineyards are mostly south facing towards the cool Atlantic of False Bay. Crop thinning occurred at pruning and at veraison. Six separate picking stages at optimum ripeness to ensure complexity and balance.

About the Harvest: Hand picked. Partial whole bunch pressing and static settling overnight.

In the Cellar: Some solids remained in the juice. Transferred to 40% new tight grain Allier French Oak and 60% second fill 300 litre barrels for fermentation.  Half of the barrels were inoculated with selected Chardonnay yeast, while the other half underwent un-inoculated, spontaneous fermentation.  After fermentation, the wine was given a racking to remove heavy lees and returned to barrel for malo- lactic fermentation.  The wine was barrel matured for 9 months before bottling.