Smuggled Vines Chardonnay

Please note: Award stickers are applied at the producer's discretion and may not be present on all bottles.

The fruit was crushed, pressed, and gently settled before fermentation in 300l French oak barrels, 12% of which were new, the rest up to four years old. A combination of natural and selected yeasts guided a slow, six-week fermentation, culminating in mid-April. Given the vintage’s vibrant acidity, one-third of the blend underwent malolactic fermentation, lending depth and balance. Weekly bâtonnage until May enriched texture, while maturation in barrel until December 2024 ensured a harmonious integration of oak, unveiling a layered and expressive wine.

Rolling morning fog and cool breezes during the hot summer months as well as one of the highest elevation sites in the Franschhoek Valley provide the optimal climate for this expressive Chardonnay. Stony clay-rich Greywacke soils give this wine its unique style, chalky minerality and natural acidity. The 2024 vintage was harvested on 14 February at 23° Balling, with remarkable natural acidity —a rarity in a warm season.