Benguela Cove Chardonnay 750ml

Awards Gold: 97/100 Trophy Wine Show 2023 In the Vineyards  Walker Bay earned its repertoire for outstanding Chardonnay and these vineyards are no exception. Nudged by the lagoon with vistas of the Atlantic Ocean, the vineyards enjoy cool daytime temperatures that drop even more at night. A beneficial diurnal range aids in even ripening and complexity while maritime winds encourage healthy vines that need minimal intervention.  Slope: two adjacent, west facing vineyards | Soil: weathered shale with very high calcium content | Clones: CY277 & CY96  In the cellar  Picked at optimal ripeness, the grapes were hand sorted. Juice from two pressing cycles were divided into 4 batches that had different levels of exposure to oxygen and solids content with the juice going into fermentation.  The wine was left on its lees for the entire maturation period to enhance palate texture. 25% of the wine was allowed to go through secondary malolactic fermentation to enhance richness, mouthfeel and balance.  Maturation: 11 months,  40 % new French oak | Production: 37 barrels  Character  It is nearly impossible not to fall in love with the sumptuous aroma of this wine. Green-gold in colour, elegantly knit aromas of flint, peach, melon and nougat lures you in and generously follows through on the palate. Met with fresh acidity, a gentle creaminess also envelops the palate, trailed with citrus zest, and a toasty finish . The mineral structure cuts through the textured mouthfeel leaving a fresh, clean finish. This wine, packed with character, is best explained as a wine of refined complexity.  Personality  This wine is confident and demands attention with its balance between freshness and focus. Apart from being beautifully balanced, the intensity, chalky texture, length, concentration and super long finish makes this a worthy competitor for the best  Chardonnays of its kind.   Wine analysis  Alc: 13.5%  pH: 3.2  TA: 6.66 g/l  RS: 1.2 g/l  Best to enjoy  Rich in texture and fruit even meaty dishes will succumb to its complexity.  Cellaring potential: 2 – 5 years since harvest date| Serving temperature: 10 – 12?  Blue Cheese gnocchi | Pungent washed-rind cheeses | Escargot  Winemakers’ note: “We aim to produce a Chardonnay that is an expression of the vineyard.   We therefore make subtle use of oak to celebrate its intensely fruited core. I think this vintage might just be our best expression of Benguela Cove Chardonnay to date!”  – Johann Fourie