Concrete & Clay Chardonnay

Steamed or grilled fish, fish pâtés, fish, chicken or vegetable terrines.

This wine showcases the terroir for which Longridge is known. Rooted in the oldest viticulture soil in the world, it is made up of decomposed granite on the lower slopes of the Helderberg. This vineyard enjoyed the refreshingly cool breezes from False Bay (Atlantic Ocean) during the day & cool air at night flowing down the mountain, resulting in even ripening of the berries and good natural acidity. The macro climate is maritime, with cold wet winters and dry, warm summers, with the Helderberg area being the coolest in the Stellenbosch region. The vineyards are meticulously cared for by hand to ensure maximum quality. Organic and biodynamic practices are employed, which includes not using any pesticides, herbicides or chemical sprays. In addition, farm produced compost, teas and biodynamic preparations are employed.

The grapes were harvested early morning and whole bunch pressed. The juice was left to settle in stainless steel tanks and transferred to concrete & clay amphora eggs, creating a refreshing and almost mineral quality in the wine. Almost no sulphur was added during the first 6-9 months. Fermentation started naturally, and no enzymes, fining agents, commercial yeast, or filtration was used.

Jasper Raats is the shareholder, cellar master and managing director of Longridge Wine Estate, as well as partner in Vigneron Consulting, an international consulting business. The consultancy shares valuable knowledge to a select group of clients, particularly focusing on organic and biodynamic viticulture and oenology. In fact, it was through this consulting business that his relationship with Longridge first started. Jasper has established himself as one of the most talented winemakers in South Africa and first gained prominence for wines he created in New Zealand. In 2003, he started working as viticulturist and winemaker at New Zealand’s Clos Henri in the Marlborough region, developing a new vineyard and making wine for French Company, Henri Bourgeois. During this period, he also started Koru Wines, which became one of New Zealand’s top and most expensive wines. His international experience includes working in Burgundy, Pouilly Fume, Sancerre and in Napa and Sonoma under Pierre Seillan, the genial French creator of Vérité Wines.