Old Vines Chardonnay

Pork, Rich fish (salmon, tuna etc), Vegetarian, Poultry

Our newly bottled and recent released Old Vines Chardonnay from Paardeberg in the Swartland, made from the third oldest Chardonnay vineyard in South Africa, is an effort to bring tribute to one of the workhorse grapes of the South African wine industry. Partnering with the Smith Family from the farm Vruchtbaar on the cooler hillside slopes of Paardeberg, Swartland, we put much effort into this vineyard and winemaking to produce a very individually styled Chardonnay. The grapes are grown on 350 meters above sea level on decomposed granite soils and were picked mid-February from a mature 36-year-old vineyard, one of the oldest Chardonnay vineyards in South Africa.

In the winery we did whole bunch pressing straight to third fill French Oak Barrels, Concrete egg and Foudre, without any additions – natural fermentation started slowly after five days and completed in 30 days after which the wine spent 10 months on the gross lees before preparing (with minimum intervention) for bottling. The lees was stirred occasionally and no malolactic fermentation took place in barrel. The result is an honest wine and true to Old Vines Chardonnay – reflecting where it comes from.

Kruger Family Heritage dates back to the early 1700’s with the arrival of the first settlers to South Africa. Our wines are made from the best grapes grown in Stellenbosch Region matured in small oak barrels for 12–24 months.