Touchstone Chardonnay

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

The grapes come from 3 blocks, with the first two, reaching a wonderful mature stage now, planted a year apart in 2008 and 2009. The third, a high-density block, was planted in 2016. The 2021 Winter conditions were excellent, characterised by above-average cold units with a higher-than-normal rainfall. Due to the cool, windy, and rainy weather that prevailed throughout most of the season, disease control was essential. Canopies were exceptionally lush throughout the season and required continuous management. We were gifted a relatively dry and cool harvest season. Overall, this confluence of conditions led to well-developed bunches with great acidity and a terrific complexity of flavours.

The wine was racked out of barrel after 9-10 months on the lees, assembled and settled before bottling, almost exactly one year after picking.

Drawing on our understanding of the influence of cool climate conditions onElgin-grown Chardonnay, we decided to harvest the grapes with a touch more ripeness. This approach allowed us to create a harmonious balance, while maintaining a refreshing natural acidity for balance and refreshment. The grapes were all hand-picked at dawn to capture freshness and acidity while retainingelegance in the flavour expression. The bunches were brought into our Organic cellar then hand-fed over a sorting table. Whole bunches were pressed, with alcoholic fermentation entirely carried out in Burgundian barrels (only using natural ambient yeast) with only 5-10% of new oak.

Founded in 1998 by Alex Dale, Radford Dale set about the Cape in search of exciting vineyard parcels for their chosen specialist varietals. Today, they have two producing wineries. The first is located in Stellenbosch, predominantly focused on sourcing maritime influenced parcels around the Helderberg and Polkadraai. Here, they produce the cult, single vineyard wines of Renaissance Chenin Blanc and Frankenstein Pinotage, and the Radford Dale Vinum range; a set of six wines that consistently overdeliver on style to price. The 2022 vintage marked the maiden release from their own vineyards purchased in Elgin under Radford Dale Organic, with the release of four single varietal Estate wines, the only organic certified vineyards in the region. More recently, they have co-founded South Africa’s first Organic Wine Association. They continue to reintroduce Gamay Noir to the Cape, establishing the first new plantings for some 20 years. It’s a varietal geared up to thrive in warm conditions, and on granite soils. Stylistically, Gamay also embodies Radford Dale’s championing of elegant, refreshing red wines.