Chardonnay

Best served well chilled on its own or paired with pork belly with fennel and orange salad, miso-basted white fish, tarte tatin, or baked Camembert with honey and thyme.

The 1.6 ha Chardonnay block at Bacco is a Single Vineyard and IPW certified site located at the lowest point of the farm. Vines grow in sandy topsoil over dense red clay with ferrecrete (Koffieklip) and quartz deposits. Vines are pruned in July/August, retaining one or two buds per spur depending on vigour. Soil moisture probes help guide the drip irrigation schedule during the growing season. Grapes are hand-harvested early in the morning in small crates to protect fruit quality and preserve freshness.

The wine then matured in oak for 12 months, developing depth and complexity.

The 2025 season was excellent, with warm days and cool nights creating ideal conditions for ripening. Chardonnay was harvested on 31 January, about 10 days later than in 2024. Grapes were stored overnight in a cold room before being crushed and de-stemmed directly into the press, where they remained on the skins for 8 hours to extract extra flavour. Free-run and press juices were settled separately overnight, then racked into barrel for approximately a month of alcoholic fermentation, keeping the fractions separate. Malolactic fermentation followed, and battonage was carried out twice weekly for six weeks to enhance texture and mouthfeel.

Time at Baccō is a slow rhythm, gently flowing like the seasons. Just as the life cycle of the vine cannot be rushed, creating any rare work of art requires patience. We believe that true wellbeing lies in synergy with nature, nurturing our environment and savouring its gifts. Our wines are made with this mindful, unhurried approach, to be generous and engage all the senses. Baccō is a family inspired project borne from Nathan Jankelowitz’s passion for the art of producing premium quality wines. Long inspired by the opulence of the Super Tuscan region, Nathan dreamt of bringing this holistic, experiential brand of luxury to South African wine lovers. A dream that has now become a magnificent reality.