Missionvale Chardonnay

Scallops with French celeriac & granny smith apple puree. Whole Cape Salmon on the braai, liberally basted with garlic butter, or freshly shucked oysters.

Vintage 2018 commenced on the 8th February. Fruit quality proved to be excel- lent and cropping levels were encouraging, this in spite of drought conditions being the talk of the day. Fortunately, our Hemel-en-Aarde region is blessed with a distinctive micro-climate which defied the predictors of poor expectations. The few rain showers received during the vintage was a positive experience and added to the calibre of the vintage.

Apart from 9 months in oak, elevage was completed by a 2 month resting period in tank, prior to bottling in January 2019.

Hand-picked bunches are pressed without crushing and settled overnight, before being transferred to French oak barrels for fermentation. A third new oak was employed, including some 350L barrels to complement the traditional 228L barrels. 10% of the bottling was fermented in Terra Cotta Amphora, which afford- ed the winemaking team an opportunity to fine-tune the volume of tension.

One of South Africa’s most awarded boutique wine estates lies in a scenic valley just an hour and a half from Cape Town called Hemel-en-Aarde or Heaven-and-Earth. Framed by great fold mountains and breath-taking ocean views it is one of the coolest wine-making regions in the Cape with duplex soil structures and sun-facing slopes. The promise of the unique terroir is harnessed by winemaker Chris Albrecht in slow-ripened flavour-rich wines of exceptional quality. Bouchard Finlayson is globally acclaimed for producing the best Pinot Noir in South Africa as well as exceptional Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs. The vineyards are surrounded by an indigenous floral conservancy alive with birdsong and wildflowers. Beyond the beauty of the farm itself you can discover the enchantments of the local area. Some of the popular attractions of nearby Hermanus include whale-watching; shark-cage diving; mountain hiking or biking; browsing art antiques and shops; and of course the white sandy beaches.