Lady May

Grilled lamb, braised beef, venison.

Early leaf fall post-harvest due to limited water availability. Winter temperatures stayed higher than usual until later. Winter rainfall reached only 80% of the expected levels. Warm spring triggered swift and even bud burst for early cultivars. Temperature fluctuations led to varied shoot growth and accelerated suckering. Above-average rainfall during flowering and berry set resulted in uneven berry development. Cooler night-time temperatures during ripening contributed to vibrant colour and flavours. Harvest commenced later, gained pace mid-season, and slowed due to rain showers later on. On 13 February, significant hail fall occurred with minor damage. Despite challenges and a smaller harvest, outstanding wines were made in 2018.

The wine stayed on its lees for a considerable period of time before racking (on average, every 4 months) and enjoyed a maturation of 24 months in new French oak barrels.

The grapes were lightly crushed into stainless steel tanks. The fermentation started with indigenous yeast and a mixture of rack-and-returns and open pump-overs. Post-fermentation skin contact lasted 2 to 3 weeks before gentle pressing and transferring into new French oak barrels where malolactic fermentation took place.

Winemaker Dirk and assistant Lehandri endeavour to make Glenelly wines as naturally as possible with wild yeast fermentation and little to no acidification. The team follows a minimal intervention approach to winemaking yet intensive sorting and care is taken when receiving the grapes. We use France’s most recognised coopers (mostly from Taransaud, Boutes and Sylvain) to ensure a gentle and precise elevage, preserving the identity of the terroir of Glenelly. Hygiene is of utmost importance in the cellar and a combination of both hot water and ozonated water is used for cleaning.