Stellenbosch Chardonnay

Crab with Cannellini Bean Salad and Citrus Vinaigrette.

This extraordinary Chardonnay site is situated on the high gravelly slopes of the Helderberg Mountain and in near proximity to False Bay, the cold Atlantic Ocean. Planted at 400m, it therefore benefits from the maritime influenced breezes cool days and mild nights of the area, which brings an incredible intensity and freshness to the wine. The outstanding 2023 vintage highlighted this vineyard’s great balance of palate texture and outstanding natural acidity. The grapes were hand-harvested on the cool mornings between the 14th and 17th of March 2023 and yielded approximately five tons per hectare, which translated to an average of 34 hectolitre per hectare.

This Chardonnay was aged in 225L tight grain French oak barrels for a year. It was then racked, blended and saw an additional ten months maturation in the same casks.

Once the grapes were whole-bunch pressed, the juice was allowed to settle overnight. The aerated must was then racked to barrel for the spontaneous primary and malolactic fermentation processes to complete, which lasted for just over sixty days. After spending a year on its primary lees, the wine was racked and blended before its final maturation.

The Leeu Passant winery, based in Franschhoek, was established in 2013 with the purpose of harnessing the most exciting vineyards of the Cape in order to create multi-regional wines from vineyards aimed at expressing the Cape as a whole (not only from Franschhoek). The Name “Leeu Passant” is derived from Heraldry, referring to a ‘passing Lion’ and this is the symbol on the top of the capsule. Chris and Andrea Mullineux search far and wide for the best parcels of grapes for these wines, and make them at the Leeu Passant base, on Leeu Estates.