Moederkerk Chardonnay

Roast chicken with tangerines.

The vintage was characterized by a moderate summer, after a relatively warm, dry winter. Cooler days and nights during ripening resulted in slower sugar accumulation, while phenolics developed steadily. Cooler weather also allowed for longer hang time, resulting in more fruit development. Grapes are selected from various sites located in the Stellenbosch region, with each site contributing different characteristics to create complexity in the wine.

Maturation takes place for six months in French oak barrels, using 13% new oak.

Grapes are hand harvested then partially destemmed, with one third pressed as whole bunches. Fermentation takes place in both oak barrels and stainless- steel tanks. Lees stirring is performed once every three weeks, and partial malolactic fermentation is allowed, to add texture and character to the wine.

Jean Engelbrecht along with his friends Dillie Malherbe and Jannie Durand set out to create a wine that would not only embody all that is Stellenbosch but that would also pay homage to this great town at the heart of the Cape winelands. Each wine in this range pays tribute to an historical landmark in Stellenbosch.