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

Cold and exceedingly wet conditions occurred during flowering and berry set late in 2021, pushing the onset of the harvest season ever later.The ripening season during January 2022 however, saw some of the hottest and driest conditions that have been recorded over the past seven years; the rainfall received for this period was atypically low.This allowed for a long, healthy ripening of a concentrated crop.Minimal disease pressure and dilution resulted in the production of fruit of an outstanding quality, in which full phenolic ripeness and refreshingly low natural sugar accumulation was expressed.

The wine undergoes no malo-lactic fermentation, adding further to its fresh appeal, with a 6 month maturation period ‘sur lie’ building a rich element into the palate. Apart from a small percentage of estate-grown fruit, included for added depth and complexity, the majority of this wine is from the Elandskloof ward.

Bunches are pressed whole and transferred to tank for cold settling over 36 hours. Only the clarified juice is fermented in stainless steel, where a long, cool fermentation encourages the development of a full spectrum of flavours.

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.