Michelangelo Glimmering for De Wetshof Estate Chardonnays

Thursday, 29 September, 2016
De Wetshof Estate
Pioneering Chardonnay wine estate De Wetshof from Robertson won two Gold medals, both for Chardonnays, at this year’s Michelangelo Wine Awards, one of South Africa’s leading wine competitions.

The Gold medals went to the De Wetshof Estate Limestone Hill Chardonnay 2016 and the Danie de Wet Chardonnay Reserve (specially bottled for Woolworths) from the 2015 vintage.

According to Johann de Wet, De Wetshof proprietor, Michelangelo is one of the stand-out South African wine competitions, largely due to the fact that the wines are judged by a panel comprising mostly international wine experts.

“Two Gold medals at Michelangelo is not only recognition for our vineyards and cellar-team, but also of great value to the consumer who has to navigate through an ever-growing range of wines,” he says. “With its stringent judging process by local and international experts, Michelangelo affords recognition of which any successful producer can feel justifiably proud.”

He said he was especially pleased with the recognition the unwooded Limestone Hill Chardonnay achieved, as this is proving to be an exciting category for South African and international consumers.

“Like all our Chardonnays, the grapes for the Limestone Hill wines are sourced from vineyards growing on sites specifically suited to the style of wine that is going to be bottled,” says Johann. “The Limestone Hill vineyards are on limestone-rich soils, with a high clay component ensuring coolness and a high water-retention capacity.”

What is important in making an unwooded Chardonnay, says Johann, is that it is not just a matter of keeping the juice and the wine away from oak. “The chemistry of the grapes and the vineyard conditions have to be conducive to producing a Chardonnay that shows its best features in an unwooded environment,” he says. “The Limestone Hill vineyards were especially planted for producing this style of wine.”

In its creation, the Limestone Hill is kept on the lees in stainless steel tanks under cool temperatures. Weekly stirring of the lees ensures the wine extracts maximum flavours and maintains a fine balance between freshness and complexity.

The American critic Robert Parker describes De Wetshof’s Limestone Hill Chardonnay as follows: “The wine never sees oak and offers impeccable pure apple, peach and lemon fruit, a lovely leesy richness of texture and chalky, fruit-filled finish of imposing length.”

According to Johann, the Limestone Hill is proving to be especially popular to consumers who simply prefer Chardonnays without the wooded element.

“The wine is fresh and accessible, with enough complexity in structure and mouthfeel to ensure a presence on the palate,” he says. ”It’s popular appeal is due to its ability to accompany almost any type of food, as well as to offer wine lovers the great enjoyment of a unwooded Chardonnay.”

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De Wetshof Limestone Hill Chardonnay 2016
De Wetshof Limestone Hill Chardonnay 2016

De Wetshof
De Wetshof

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