Sans Barrique Chardonnay

Another versatile offering, equally suitable with appetisers or main course. Works really well with creamy mushroom pastries, goats cheese or a smooth vegetable soup. Simply grilled or poached fish with butter and parsley. Moules marinières

Spring 2019 saw ideal weather conditions during flower and fruit set, heightening expectations for the upcoming vintage. Our hopes were however soon challenged by the atypical and unstable weather presented early in the new year. Fortunately, dry conditions set in as soon as harvest commenced, with the crop remaining healthy. Volumes recovered slightly from the light 2019 vintage and all-round, unexpectedly positive, fruit-quality was delivered to the cellar.

The wine undergoes no malolactic fermentation, adding further to its fresh appeal, with a six-month maturation period ‘sur lie’ building a rich element into the palate.

Bunches are pressed whole and transferred to tank for cold settling over 36 hours. As with our wooded Chardonnays, the juice is intentionally left to start fermentation spontaneously, thus obtaining significant benefit from the natural occurring micro-flora.

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.