Albertus Viljoen Chardonnay

Grapes earmarked for barrel fermentation are selected in the vineyard, brought in cool, and chilled to 4°C before whole-bunch pressing. Fermentation takes place in 100% new 300L French oak barrels (predominantly MT François Frères) using wild yeast strains.

The Chardonnay grapes for our Albertus Viljoen Chardonnay come from different vineyard blocks each year, chosen to reflect the best quality of each vintage. Rooted in limestone banks and loamy sand soils, the vines’ grapes are harvested in the cool, early morning hours and whole-bunch pressed to preserve their natural fruit flavours. For this vintage, daytime temperatures were cooler than the previous season, with lower post-harvest rainfall. Cold units built up quickly in June but declined sooner than usual. Early bud break and moderate spring conditions suggested an above-average crop. Hotter weather in November and December required supplemental irrigation. Mid-December thunderstorms delivered 150 mm of rain, but most ran off rather than soaking into subsoil, likely contributing to smaller berries and a lighter yield. Harvest began a week earlier than usual, with excellent grape quality despite lower volumes. The season overall was hotter, with smaller berry sizes across all cultivars.

Malolactic fermentation occurs in barrel, followed by 11 months of maturation with regular bâtonnage. The final wine is blended from a selection of the finest barrels.