Elegant and exceptional with food, La Motte’s Chardonnay stays true to its Franschhoek roots

Tuesday, 28 April, 2015
La Motte
Releasing the 2013 vintage of its La Motte Chardonnay, the estate once again confirms the beauty of Chardonnay when made in an intricate and well-balanced style, while also reaffirming the Franschhoek Valley’s knack for this varietal.
The six Chardonnay vineyard blocks on La Motte are planted in Clovelly soil, in a North-South direction and lie 200 metres above sea-level. Planted in 1997, the vineyards are managed to maintain a perfect balance between leaf coverage and yield.

After harvesting, all bunches were whole-pressed and the juice received a reasonable measure of oxidative treatment. 70% of the clean juice was transferred to 300-litre French oak barrels (30% of which were new) where it was inoculated with yeast. Both fermentation and malolactic fermentation took place in the barrels. In order to maintain the elegance and poise for which La Motte Chardonnay is recognised internationally, one third of the juice was fermented in stainless steel tanks. The components were blended subsequent to maturation and bottled on the estate during May 2014. 3 680 cases (6 x 750 ml) were released as 2013 La Motte Chardonnay.

As a result of the extended lees contact and considered oak maturation, the wine offers intricate tropical and citrus fruit flavours combined with nuances of cashew nuts. Full-bodied and intense, the fresh natural acidity and portion of unoaked wine ensure balance and purity.
Celebrated as an excellent suitor to decadent seafood such as caviar, crayfish, prawns, langoustines, mussels and perlemoen (abalone), the 2013 La Motte Chardonnay is also charming company to snails, carpaccio and creamy cheese and egg-based dishes such as quiche and soufflé.