First Lady Chardonnay

This unoaked Chardonnay pairs well with a variety of dishes, including grilled salmon, shrimp, roast chicken, barbecue kebabs, and salads. Its versatility complements both casual and elegant dining occasions.

Grapes are sourced from Warwick Estate's vineyards located on the slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain in Stellenbosch. The vineyards benefit from a variety of altitudes, aspects, and soil types, contributing to the complexity and quality of the wine.

The wine is predominantly unoaked, with only a small fraction fermented in old oak barrels. It is aged on the lees until bottling to develop texture and complexity.

Grapes are harvested in the early hours of the morning to retain freshness and aromatics. They are de-stemmed and crushed straight to the press with no skin contact. Fermentation occurs in stainless steel tanks, with a portion (approximately 6%) fermented in old oak barrels to add depth and structure. After fermentation, the wine is kept on the lees until bottling to enhance mouthfeel and complexity.

Warwick Estate lies in a valley enclosed by the Simonsberg Kanonkop and Klapmutskop. Originally part of a vast piece of land known as Good Success this eighteenth century farm belonged to Colonel Alexander Gordon who renamed his portion in honour of the Warwickshire regiment which he commanded during the Boer War. Years later in 1964 Stan Ratcliffe bought Warwick where with considerable foresight he began planting the precious Cabernet Sauvignon vines which are still a major part of the production today. These vines produced high quality grapes and became highly sought after by wholesalers and other wineries. However it took the arrival of Norma Ratcliffe Stan's beautiful and energetic wife in 1971 for the family to begin making a few experimental wines from Cabernet Sauvignon. The early results were very encouraging and served to extol the virtues of what is surely some of the best terroir in South Africa. Michael Ratcliffe Norma's son has now taken over as proprietor in Stan's retirement and has wasted no time in stamping his personality on the Estate. A host of new innovative techniques learnt during his postgraduate wine studies in Australia are being implemented aimed at maximizing the potential of the Warwick terroir. Under Michael's leadership the Warwick team is striving to take the next step in quality.